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Remembering Pierre Damas Bel, an Ohio college student with great promise

NPR | By Erika Ryan,

Sarah Handel, Ailsa Chang

Published September 2, 2026 at 5:13 PM EDT

NPR's Ailsa Chang talks with Pastor Carl Ruby of Central Chistian Church in Springfield, Ohio about the death of 20-year-old Pierre Damas Bel, who died after being struck by a truck on the interstate.

Erika Ryan

Erika Ryan is a producer for All Things Considered.

Sarah Handel

See stories by Sarah Handel

Ailsa Chang

Ailsa Chang is an award-winning journalist and a host of NPR’s newsmagazine All Things Considered, as well as NPR’s daily news podcast Consider This.

See stories by Ailsa Chang

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