36°
Sources tell Daily Voice that 16-year-old Jim Morell was the boy killed Saturday, Nov. 23, on County Road 628 south in Upper Township.
A GoFundMe page was created to support Jim's grieving family, and had raised more than $30,200 from at least 300 donations as of Tuesday, Nov. 26.
"Jim moved to his own beat and welcomed everyone into his world," wrote Salvatore Scalici, the fundraiser's organizer. "My son, who was quite introverted back then, formed a strong friendship with Jim, and it truly helped him come out of his shell. That was a wonderful gift for our family."
Troopers responded to the crash on County Road 628 South near milepost 6.55 at around 2:31 p.m. A preliminary investigation revealed that a southbound Nissan Rogue tried to turn left into a driveway when it collided with the Kawasaki KX450 dirt bike Jim was riding northbound.
The boy was pronounced dead at the scene. No other injuries were reported.
Scalici said Morell's death came at an especially heartbreaking time. Not only was it right before Thanksgiving and the holidays, but Morell was about two weeks away from turning 17.
The GoFundMe also highlighted the Morell family’s recent struggles. His mother has battled cancer and his father nearly died with a severe bacterial infection during a COVID-related hospitalization.
The crash remains under investigation.
You can click here to see the GoFundMe page for Jim Morell.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Hackensack and receive free news updates.
