Alan Cheuse—an author and literary commentator for NPR—died on Friday from injuries sustained in a car accident. He was seventy-five.

Sonya Cheuse, his daughter, told NPR: “He was the brightest light in our family. He will always remain in our hearts. We thank everyone for the outpouring of love and support.”

Alan was an exceptionally committed and active literary citizen. In addition to his contributions to NPR for twenty-five years, and his five novels—his last book was Prayers for the Living, released this past March—he served as a professor of creative writing at George Mason University, and, for several years, an instructor at the Squaw Valley Writers Workshop in Nevada City.

His profound influence on his students led to the founding of the Alan Cheuse Literary Review just days before his death. Nicole Idar and Elizabeth Gutting request submissions from GMU students and faculty “whose writing has been brightened by Alan’s sharp wit and wisdom.”

AWP Executive Director David Fenza says of Cheuse, “His passing leaves a void here at George Mason University and at PEN/Faulkner. He was a model of our kind of person of letters: a challenging teacher, a fine writer, a reliable critic, and a community builder. He introduced countless readers to the best books. Alan’s passing is like the removal of one of the biggest trees in our ecosystem.”

Sonya, who is director of publicity for the publisher Ecco, an imprint of HarperCollins, says that her father passed down a love for literature to her and the rest of the family as well, according to NPR.

“My dad is the reason I love reading,” she says. “This is the family business.”

In addition to his children, Sonya, Emma, and Josh, Cheuse is survived by his wife, Kris O’Shee.