Liberal media critic Eric Boehlert, who founded Salon magazine and Press Run website, was died on Wednesday after he was struck by a NJ Transit train while riding a bicycle, his family said on Wednesday. He was 57. According to his wife, Tracy Breslin, Boehlert was struck on Monday night in Montclair, some 20 miles northwest of New York City.
The seven passengers on board the train and crew members were not wounded in the crash. The accident is being investigated by the NJ Transit Police. Boehlert was remembered fondly by his family, including a wife, Tracy Breslin, and two children.
Tragic Death
According to NorthJersey.com, Eric Boehlert was riding his bicycle near the Watchung Avenue station in Montclair, NJ at around 9:50 p.m. when he was struck and killed by a Hoboken-bound New Jersey Transit train. News of his death was confirmed by Breslin.
His death was announced on Twitter on Wednesday by journalist and friend Soledad O'Brien. He called Boehlert "a fierce and fearless defender of the truth."
Calling him "an amazing husband and a beautiful human being," Breslin said the accident was "horrific." She told The News she hopes he'll be remembered for being "a fantastic father," more than anything.
"Through his journalism, social media, books, and appearances on CNN and MSNBC, Eric was a fierce defender of democracy, social justice and truth in media," his family said in a statement released Wednesday.
Boehlert was heading the website Press Run at the time of his death, with the purpose of "determining to hold the news outlets accountable with smart, incisive analysis and commentary that calls out bad practices and raising up voices of sanity."
Truth Seeker
Eric Boehlert, a media critic who wrote for Rolling Stone and Media Matters for America, recently founded the Press Run website. He was also the author of 'Lapdogs: How the Press Rolled Over for Bush' and 'Bloggers on the Bus: How the Internet Changed Politics and the Press', which he wrote for Salon and Billboard.
Besides, Boehlert has been quoted in dozens of newspapers, including BuzzFeed, the Washington Post, the New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal, and has appeared on hundreds of television shows criticizing the media.
Prior to that, he worked as a contributing editor for Rolling Stone and a staff writer for Billboard, covering the music industry.
On his Press Run bio, Boehlert described himself as someone who "has been monitoring right-wing misinformation for years."
Jon Stewart and Hillary Clinton were among the big names who honored Boehlert and his legacy on social media. "Rest In Peace Eric Boehlert," tweeted Stewart. "Greatly admired his passion and tenacity."
Clinton described Boehlert death as "terrible news". "I'm devastated for his family and friends and will miss his critical work to counteract misinformation and media bias," she wrote. "What a loss," she wrote.
