17-year-old Elijah Berman, a member of the Eastern Michigan football 2026 recruiting class, was killed in a motorcycle crash on June 24, 2025.
Berman, a Dayton, Ohio native who had committed to the Eagles earlier this month, was traveling along Ohio Route 123 in Franklin, Ohio, near an Interstate 75 exit ramp when his motorcycle was struck by a semi-truck.
Berman was transported to the Atrium Medical Center, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
A Chaminade Julienne Catholic High School student, Berman was a 6-foot-3, 300-pound defensive lineman who committed to Eastern Michigan University on June 16 and was poised to make an impact next fall.
The teenager was a member of his high school’s football and track teams as well as an Eagle Ambassador for his school and an active participant in the Little Sibs program.
In a statement penned by Chaminade Julienne Principal Greg Mueller obtained by the Dayton Daily News, Berman was labeled an “all-around Eagle” and a “strong student with a big personality.”
The cause of the crash remains under investigation by the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
