Community Corner

Fashion Show Honors Memory Of Essex County Musician Killed By Bus

Video: A fashion show included designs from the mother of a college student who died when he was struck by a bus in Bloomfield.

A fashion show in New Jersey recently paid tribute to people killed in pedestrian-vehicle strikes, including a 22-year-old Montclair High School graduate who died when he was struck by a bus in Bloomfield.
A fashion show in New Jersey recently paid tribute to people killed in pedestrian-vehicle strikes, including a 22-year-old Montclair High School graduate who died when he was struck by a bus in Bloomfield. (Photo: Kenny Graham)

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — A fashion show in New Jersey recently paid tribute to people killed in pedestrian-vehicle strikes, including a college student who died when he was struck by a bus in Bloomfield.

Naomi Johnson, the designer for Noneillah, headlined a fashion show at the New Jersey Women’s Expo in Edison (watch the video below). The show included posthumously released music from her late son, Deshon Johnson, known by his stage name, Sean Cos Mason. Read More: Montclair Woman Honors Late Son By Keeping His Music Alive

The event also included celebrities like actress/producer Kim Fields, R&B singer/American Idol winner Fantasia Barrino, Teresa Giudice of “The Real Housewives Of New Jersey,” and Dorinda Medley of “The Real Housewives Of New York.”

Find out what's happening in Bloomfieldfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Johnson said that the fashion show was a way to remember victims like her son, a 22-year-old Essex County College business student and Montclair High School alum who was struck and killed by a NJ Transit bus in Bloomfield as he headed to his job in 2012.

A grand jury later declined to indict the driver, who was employed with Coach USA.

Find out what's happening in Bloomfieldfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

The aspiring hip-hop artist was working a part-time job at the time to help support his mother, who was disabled as a result of a car crash. His death was widely mourned in the community, including at a memorial service held shortly after his passing.

"He was a talented man who knew what he wanted to do with his life," said a friend, Matt Fernandez. "He was very driven and very motivated."

Questions surrounding Johnson’s death continued, however, with some people alleging that authorities didn’t handle the case properly.

“He's my only child,” his grief-stricken mother previously said. “It's like my breath has been taken away.”

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Learn more about advertising on Patch here. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site.

Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.