John DeReggi was posing for pictures with his girlfriend and her twin sister when tragedy struck.
The 16-year-olds were taking part in a photography class project and visited railroad tracks in rural Maryland for their photoshoot in September 2015.
It was here that John was fooling around for the camera with his partner and dancing on the empty steel rails, while her sister was taking pictures.
The idea of the project was to take inspirational photos with the theme being 'youth and the pathway yet to come'.
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However, while the trio were on the tracks, an Amtrak train came hurtling towards them at speeds upwards of 70mph - much to the surprise of John and the twin sisters.
The wind from the train forced the two girls back but the 200-ton locomotive crushed John as he tried to jump out of the way.
"He loved a thrill," John's mom, Christine DeReggi, told ABC News. "He wasn't reckless but he definitely loved adventure. He loved to laugh. He loved to be a little bit scared."
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She received news of her son's death from his screaming girlfriend, who tragically witnessed the teenager die.
Speaking about her son's girlfriend and her twin sister, Christine continued: "They just escaped. I mean, it was almost a triple tragedy... they saw it and it happened so quick they almost got sucked in. That's how close they were.
"The train apparently is much wider than the tracks and I don't know how far he jumped to try and clear it but he didn't clear it."
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The mom added: "The moments before my son died are beautiful. He's at peace and he's happy. You can see it's just them doing a sweet project together."
Christine was referencing the photos the trio took together in his tragic final minutes.
Just four years prior to John's death, three teenagers also passed away in similar circumstances.
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In 2011, 13-year-old Savannah Webster had decided to join her older sister Kelsea, 15, who was hanging out with her friend Essa Ricker, also 15, by the Covered Bridge Canyon train crossing, located in Utah's Spanish Fork Canyon.
It is understood that the teens had planned to pose for a picture as a train rushed past the tracks in front of them, but they hadn't realized that there was a second train hurtling towards them from behind.
One harrowing photo depicted the three girls taking a selfie slightly off the tracks, but not far enough as to not be struck by the train - which was traveling at an estimated 39mph.
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact The Compassionate Friends on (877) 969-0010.
Topics: Photography, US News
Joe Yates