Extra support available for Fraser High students, staff following teacher's death

Fraser ― Fraser Public Schools is offering extra support for students and staff following the death Tuesday of a high school teacher who was struck by car while changing a tire on Interstate 94 in Harper Woods.

Counselors and mental health staff for the school district are scheduled to work through the end of the week to provide support to students and staff in the wake of Connor McMahon's death, officials said.

McMahon was struck by a car while changing a flat tire on eastbound I-94 near Eight Mile Road, according to police. He taught at Fraser High and was a 2017 graduate of the school.

Fraser school district officials said Wednesday that counseling is available from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday and Friday in the high school counseling office.

Kristin Sommer, Fraser Public School's director of community relations, said the counselors and mental health staff could be brought back next week if needed.

McMahon's loss is also felt at the Recreation Authority of Roseville & Eastpointe, where he had served since 2018 and was preparing for his sixth year as a camp counselor for its summer day camp, executive director Tony Lipinski told The Detroit News.

"He served as a Building Supervisor, Scorekeeper and Summer Day Camp Counselor during his time here," Lipinski said in an email Thursday night.

"Connor was known for bringing the energy. Each day, he came in with a positive attitude and had intentions of always creating the best day he could. He had a huge impact on others around him whether it was the kids, parents or staff (mostly the kids!). He made everyone a better person. Connor was creative, thoughtful, determined and was a true inspiration to others. His character and personality is a main reason that the Recreation Authority is special place."

McMahon was a social studies teacher at Fraser High School. According to his Facebook page, he was a 2021 University of Michigan graduate. A Marvel fan, his page features many photos of McMahon dressed in UM fan gear and in a Spider-Man costume.

His introduction for the page quotes Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee: "You know, I guess one person CAN make a difference ... 'nuff said."

One of his last posts is a photo of a cartoon one of his students made that reenacts a scene from the 2018 film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse in which two Spider-Men stand and point their fingers at each other. In the drawing, the artist replaced one of the costumed superheroes with a stick figure wearing glasses and wrote above him "Spider-McMahon."

State police officials said troopers were called to the scene of the crash involving McMahon at about 10:20 p.m. Tuesday. They arrived and found McMahon's body, but the driver of the car that struck him ran away, according to authorities.

A short time later, Harper Woods Police reported they had arrested a 25-year-old Clinton Township woman believed to have been the driver of the vehicle that killed the teacher after a brief foot chase.

Police said the woman could face charges for allegedly injuring a Harper Woods police officer and biting a state police trooper during her arrest in addition to those related to the fatal crash.

cramirez@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @CharlesERamirez

Staff Writer Mark Hicks contributed