A 27-year-old Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) bus driver took his own life last year after reportedly feeling isolated at work and being repeatedly referred to as male by supervisors and passengers.
Ava Michal Hudson died on August 7, 2024, after stepping in front of a train on his way to work. His death came just four days after attending his brother’s wedding, and family members said he gave no warning signs he was suicidal.
From Struggles to Stability
Hudson earned his commercial driver’s license in late 2023 and passed probation with the CTA just weeks before his death. His $61,000 salary was the first stable income he’d had since graduating from Wheaton College in 2020 and allowed him to cover costly gender-transition expenses.
According to his family, getting the job was a high point after years of personal and financial struggles. He often sent them photos from his bus routes during work breaks.
Workplace Challenges
Despite CTA’s anti-discrimination policies, Hudson faced challenges on the job. Passengers often called him “sir” because of the uniform, and CTA reports on disciplinary matters repeatedly used male pronouns.
Records show he was reprimanded for sick-day policy violations and for handling non-paying riders, with no union representative present during these incidents. Unlike other transgender employees who filed complaints, Hudson never lodged one.
His family said he didn’t know any other transgender employees at CTA, which made the experience isolating.
Personal History and Mental Health Struggles
Hudson’s family traced some of his difficulties to a traumatic brain injury suffered during high school gymnastics. Though he excelled academically in his senior year, his cognitive abilities reportedly declined over time, leading to depression and anxiety during college.
He moved to Chicago in 2021, enduring several years of uncertainty about his identity before finding a supportive group of friends who provided him with housing when he needed it.
Final Days
Hudson appeared to be doing well during his trip to Wheaton for his brother’s wedding, where family members told him how proud they were of his progress. But on the morning of August 7, he left early for work, worried about being late. Hours later, he was gone.
His obituary described him as someone who “will be very much missed and never forgotten” by friends and family around the world.
