NORWOOD, Mass. — A quiet afternoon stroll turned into heartbreak Sunday when 51-year-old Noriko Rapley was struck and killed by a snowplow truck in the massive MBTA Norwood Central commuter rail parking lot. The accident happened just after 2 p.m. amid a fierce winter storm that had blanketed the region in snow.
Rapley and her husband, 47, were walking together through the snow-covered lot when a Ford F-350 pickup truck with an attached snowplow, driven by a contractor clearing snow, backed into them. Neighbors said visibility was poor and near-whiteout conditions made the scene treacherous.
Emergency crews pronounced Rapley dead at the scene. Her husband was rushed to a nearby hospital with serious injuries but, officials say, his wounds are not considered life-threatening. The plow driver, a 33-year-old man working for a private company contracted by the MBTA, stayed at the scene and is fully cooperating with investigators.
Authorities describe the tragedy as sudden and devastating. Transit Police Superintendent Richard Sullivan called it an “unimaginable, horrific incident” and extended the agency’s deepest condolences to the family and friends of Rapley. The Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office is assisting in the ongoing investigation.
Rapley was well known in her field. She was a respected investigator at the Mass General Research Institute and an instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School. Colleagues remember her for her sharp scientific mind and her work on intestinal biology, which aimed to unlock new treatments for diseases such as Crohn’s and food allergies.
The winter storm that blanketed Massachusetts Sunday brought widespread travel difficulties and dangerous conditions on roads and sidewalks. Locals told reporters they were still shaken by the tragedy unfolding so close to home, with police tape and flashing lights marking where the accident happened.
Governor Maura Healey spoke publicly about the loss, calling it “heartbreaking” and confirming she had spoken to Rapley’s husband. Her administration has urged residents to use caution during severe weather, especially around areas where heavy equipment is operating.
The Norwood community is now grieving a vibrant life taken too soon, even as investigators work to understand exactly how the crash unfolded during a chaotic storm afternoon.
