spacetoday.net: Astronaut's mother dies in accident

Posted: Thu, Dec 20, 2007, 7:29 AM ET (1229 GMT)
The mother of a NASA astronaut currently on the International Space Station was killed in an accident outside Chicago on Wednesday. Rose Tani, mother of Dan Tani, died after her car was struck by a freight train at a crossing in Tani's hometown of Lombard, Illinois, a suburb west of Chicago. Rose Tani reportedly drove around a school bus stopped at the crossing and past a lowered gate; the car was crossing the tracks when it was struck by the train. Dan Tani was informed of the accident via a private radio link to the station. Tani was scheduled to return to Earth this month on the shuttle Atlantis, but remained on the station after that launch was postponed to January. This is believed to be the first time a NASA astronaut has suffered the loss of a close family member while in space.