Beloved local reverend identified as victim of deadly crash in Newburyport

A beloved local reverend has been identified as the person struck and killed by a pickup truck in Newburyport, Massachusetts, Wednesday evening.

Helen Murgida, 81, was killed when she was hit by a Ford pickup truck near the intersection of Green and Pleasant streets, according to the Essex County District Attorney's Office.

See more

Update: victim identified as Rev. Helen Murgida; she was on her way to deliver a prayer at the mayor’s State of the City speech when she was killed crossing the street in Newburyport. @NBC10Boston https://t.co/y43aQnhozH pic.twitter.com/SwJ0aJsWrN

— Michael Rosenfield NBC10 Boston (@MikeRNBCBoston) February 29, 2024

The Newburyport community came together Thursday evening to honor Murgida's life.

"In many ways, the city will never be the same," said Rev. Rebecca Bryan, minister at First Religious Society Unitarian Universalist in downtown Newburyport, where Murgida was also a member of the clergy. "She was faithful and loyal and always upbeat."

The religious organization posted a tribute to Murgida Thursday, describing her as "a woman of grace and dignity" who worked with children who have special needs and their families.

"She was a devoted advocate for ending the stigma associated with mental health issues and invisible disabilities. Her long career working on behalf of children with special needs is legendary. She loved everyone, without exception," the post reads.

See more

Murgida was a last-minute replacement to deliver the opening prayer at the mayor's State of the City address Wednesday night. She was hit by a pickup truck as she crossed the street just outside city hall as she headed to the event.

"Just heartbroken," said Mayor Sean Reardon.

He says he's waiting on the final report to see what caused the deadly crash.

It is dark at the intersection, and a project to replace the 85 historic lamp posts in the downtown area has been ongoing.

But it's unknown what kind of role, if any, the time of day factored into the tragic incident.

"Anytime you have something like this, you want to review all the things around the city," said Reardon. "Safety has to be a top priority."

Murgida is being remembered as someone dedicated to helping those with disabilities, especially children.

She served as a hospice volunteer, as well.

"Life is precious, and we never know what's going to happen," said Bryan. "Things just don't always make sense."

The crash is still under investigation.

Police have not said if the driver will face any charges.

Get updates on what's happening in Boston to your inbox. Sign up for our News Headlines newsletter.