Hundreds of mourners packed in to a Bronx funeral home Friday to bid a teary farewell to Amtrak victim Derrick Griffith.
The beloved CUNY professor was one of eight people killed when a Washington-to-New York Amtrak train derailed in Philadelphia on May 12.
Griffith, 42, had just finished his Ph.D and was to march in a graduation ceremony next week.
The Medgar Evers College dean of student affairs was renowned for his dedication to low-income youth trying to find a pathway to higher education.
“It’s really a terrible loss,” said Professor Elaine Reid of Brooklyn. “Everyone was so distraught. I’ve never seen him angry or upset.”
Griffith’s funeral was filled with friends, family and colleagues. Cops had to stand outside the Gun Hill funeral home to direct traffic.
“It’s a tragedy. It’s amazing he was able to do so much,” said Dr. Gillian Bayne, a professor at Lehman College who was in the same doctoral program as Griffith.
The popular dean is survived by his mother and his son, Darryus Griffith, 24.
A dozen flower arrangements surrounded the closed casket.
“I think I underestimated how extraordinary Derrick could be. He was larger than life,” said John Mogulescu, CUNY dean of professional studies.
Rudy Crew, president of Medgar Evers College, said Griffith once brought a student in need over for Thanksgiving dinner and asked him to fix her some lasagna.
