Support Sister Heather Steele: A SMART-TD Conductor Injured Protecting Others

Heather Marie Steele has spent her career doing what railroaders do every day: showing up, serving the public, and keeping passengers safe.

Heather has been a proud member of SMART-TD since 2012 and has served as Vice Local Chairperson for local 168 for nearly seven years. She is not someone who asks for help; she is someone who gives it. But today, Heather and her family need us.

On the early morning of August 15, 2024, while working as a conductor for Amtrak aboard the Cardinal route, Heather was violently assaulted on duty by a passenger during a serious onboard disturbance.

Heather was working alone without an Assistant Conductor, which is a problem in itself. She was solely responsible for more than 130 passengers when the situation escalated. While trying to protect others and get help from law enforcement, she was attacked without warning, knocked unconscious, and suffered devastating injuries. The viciousness of this attack has caused her to continue to have stroke-like episodes even now, a year and a half after it happened.

Heather sustained:

• A Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

• A severe right shoulder dislocation with fracture

• A left ankle fracture with tendon instability

Since that night, her life has been turned upside down.

For the past 18 months, Heather has fought tirelessly to recover. She has attended physical therapy multiple times a week, endured surgeries, specialist visits, and ongoing treatment just to regain basic movement and function.

But while the healing has been long and painful, the financial reality has been just as crushing. Heather has been unable to work and has exhausted disability support. With no paycheck, medical bills mounting, and the cost of everyday living continuing to get higher by the day, her family is now facing severe hardship.

Heather is the primary provider for her household. Her husband is a permanently disabled veteran, and together they are raising two children:

• A 19-year-old daughter working full-time while attending college

• An 11-year-old son who has sacrificed more than any child should have to, simply because the railroad failed to protect and then support his mother

Heather has sold nearly everything she owns. She is now facing the loss of her vehicle and even her home.

And through all of this, she has remained what she has always been: a strong union sister, a mother, a fighter.

This fundraiser is being organized by SMART-TD Local 168 because no one who is injured protecting others should have to lose everything.

As SMART-TD members, we believe in taking care of our own. Heather has given years of service to her coworkers, her passengers, and her union. Now it is our turn to stand beside her.

Every donation will help Heather and her family cover:

• Medical expenses

• Household bills

• Mortgage and transportation costs

• Basic living needs while she completes her recovery

If you are able to give, please do. If you cannot, please share this fundraiser and keep Heather in your thoughts and prayers.

Let’s rally around Sister Steele and show what solidarity truly means.

An injury to one is an injury to all.

Thank you for supporting Heather.