Remembering Sophia DeTorres, NJ High Schooler Killed On First Day Of School Remembering Sophia DeTorres, NJ High Schooler Killed On First Day Of School
Remembering Sophia DeTorres, NJ High Schooler Killed On First Day Of School Life was only beginning for Sophia DeTorres. The 16-year-old North Hunterdon High School student was a competitive and award-winning dancer of 11 years and had been looking at colleges, preparing for life's next chapter, according to her obituary on the Martin Funeral Home website. Sophia, who also ran cross country and track, visited Boson College, Cornell, and Wake Forest, on her early shortlist, and was hoping to major in psychology "in keeping with her drive to help people," her obituary says. But life was cut short for Sophia on Thursday, Aug. 22, when she was killed in…
Motorcyclist, 30, Dies Days Before Birthday In NJ Crash Motorcyclist, 30, Dies Days Before Birthday In NJ Crash
Motorcyclist, 30, Dies Days Before Birthday In NJ Crash A 30-year-old motorcyclist has died following a New Jersey crash earlier this month, according to his obituary. Wilson Gonzalez Jr., of Bound Brook, died at RWJ Hospital in New Brunswick on Friday, Aug. 16, his obituary on the Hagan-Chamberlin Funeral Home website says. Happy birthday mi amor. I miss you so much and your babies do to. I promise to keep going on and raising our babies.I love you ❤️ Wilson Gonzalez Posted by Alyssa Warren on Friday, August 23, 2024 Gonzalez was identified as the motorcyclist airlifted in the Thursday, Aug. 15 crash on the Manville Causeway near …
Warren Hills HS Grad Taylor Cerza Dies Suddenly, 27, Leaving Behind 2 Daughters Warren Hills HS Grad Taylor Cerza Dies Suddenly, 27, Leaving Behind 2 Daughters
Warren Hills HS Grad Taylor Cerza Dies Suddenly, 27, Leaving Behind 2 Daughters Taylor M. Cerza, a Warren Hills High School graduate who lived in Hampton, died suddenly on Friday, Aug. 16 in Oxford, according to her obituary on the Warren Hills Memorial Home website. She was 27 years old. A Great Meadows native, Taylor worked as a direct support professional for Abilities of NW Jersey and was a loving mother to her two kids, Layla Knoop and Frankie Lee Golovko, her obituary says. A GoFundMe launched in Taylor's memory had raised more than $9,200 as of press time. "Taylor has two young beautiful daughters that will now have to grow up without their mommy so my fam…
Morris County Native Michael Brown, 23, Was Set To Begin New Job At EY, Obituary Says Morris County Native Michael Brown, 23, Was Set To Begin New Job At EY, Obituary Says
Morris County Native Michael Brown, 23, Was Set To Begin New Job At EY, Obituary Says Michael Brown, a Morris County native set to start a new career in accounting, died on Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024. He was 23 years old. According to his obituary on the William Leber Funeral Home website, Michael graduated from  West Morris Central High School before earning a degree from the University of Alabama. He was set to begin a new job at EY in Atlanta, GA. He had checked off an item on a summer bucket list this year, hiking across national parks along the West Coast, camping out or sleeping on a friend's couch, Michael's obituary reads.  In tributes published to socia…
Longtime Edison Firefighter Ray Tobik Dies Suddenly, 58 Longtime Edison Firefighter Ray Tobik Dies Suddenly, 58
Longtime Edison Firefighter Ray Tobik Dies Suddenly, 58 A family was rallying for support after a former Edison firefighter died, according to a fundraising campaign. Ray Tibok, 58, died suddenly on Thursday, Aug. 8, a GoFundMe page said. He had served as a firefighter for the Edison Township Fire Department for 30 years before retiring in May 2022. The GoFundMe had raised more than $1,400 from at least 11 donations as of Thursday, Aug. 22. "His commitment to his community and his family was unwavering," wrote Tibok's nephew Joseph Schmidig in the memorial fundraiser. "Whenever you needed something Ray would be there." Tibok was reme…
Teen Boxing Champ From Bergen County Jesselyn 'Jesszilla' Silva Dies Teen Boxing Champ From Bergen County Jesselyn 'Jesszilla' Silva Dies
Teen Boxing Champ From Bergen County Jesselyn 'Jesszilla' Silva Dies Jesselyn Silva had a lot of people rooting for her. That's both in the ring as a national boxing champion, and out, as she fought cancer. The 18-year-old Bergenfield boxer lost her bout with cancer on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024. Known in the ring as JessZilla, was a two-time national champion who penned her own memoir, My Corner of the Ring by the time she was 15 years old. View this post on Instagram A post shared by 🌻 Jesselyn "JessZilla" Silva 🦖 (@jesselyn_silva) She later starred in a feature film by Emily Sheskin called Jesszilla…
Longtime New Jersey Rep. Bill Pascrell Dies At 87 Longtime New Jersey Rep. Bill Pascrell Dies At 87
Longtime New Jersey Rep. Bill Pascrell Dies At 87 Rep. Bill Pascrell, a Democrat who served in Congress for almost 30 years and was a former Mayor of Paterson, died on Wednesday, Aug. 21, at the age of 87, his family announced. "It is with deep sadness that we announce that Bill Pascrell Jr., our beloved husband, father, and grandfather, passed away this morning," his family wrote on social media.  "As our United States Representative, Bill fought to his last breath to return to the job he cherished and to the people he loved. Bill lived his entire life in Paterson and had an unwavering love for the city he grew up in and served. He i…
Special Olympic Athlete Joseph Maccagnano, Hoboken Native, Dies At 58 Special Olympic Athlete Joseph Maccagnano, Hoboken Native, Dies At 58
Special Olympic Athlete Joseph Maccagnano, Hoboken Native, Dies At 58 Joseph Maccagnano, a longtime Hoboken resident and Special Olympian, died on Saturday, Aug. 17 at the age of 58, according to a fundraiser set up for funeral expenses. Maccagnano worked at Hudson Community Enterprises in Jersey City for 27 years and competed at the Special Olympics for 40 years, being named Athlete of the Year in 2019, according to his obituary at the Jorge Rivera Funeral Home.  Known as "Uncle," Maccagnano also bowled for the Ability League at Hudson Lanes. "He loved being a torch runner with the North Bergen Police Department and was well-known for his bright spirit…
Kevin Waite, Jersey City Musician, Father Of Two, Dies At 46 Kevin Waite, Jersey City Musician, Father Of Two, Dies At 46
Kevin Waite, Jersey City Musician, Father Of Two, Dies At 46 Kevin Waite, a Jersey City musician who worked in mental health, died recently at the age of 46, according to a fundraiser set up to support his family. Waite is survived by his wife Nicole and his two children, Dylan and Ruby. As of Friday, Aug. 16, the fundraiser has raised more than $65,800. It’s hard to find a group that’s been together for 40 years. Through the good times and the bad we’ve been through it... Posted by Brian Skib on Monday, August 12, 2024 "Kevin's warmth, generosity, and boundless spirit touched everyone he met," wrote Melanie Kirsch, who organized the fundrai…
Gerald 'Jerry' McMinn, Owner Of NJ Ice Cream Institution, Longtime EMT Dies At 93 Gerald 'Jerry' McMinn, Owner Of NJ Ice Cream Institution, Longtime EMT Dies At 93
Gerald 'Jerry' McMinn, Owner Of NJ Ice Cream Institution, Longtime EMT Dies At 93 Gerald "Jerry" McMinn, a man credited for saving countless lives over more than 65 years volunteering as an EMT, and bringing joy to thousands of North Jersey residents through his iconic Milk Barn, has died at 93 years old. An Army Veteran widely known across North Jersey as the owner of the Old Barn Milk Bar in Wayne, died on Wednesday, Aug. 7, according to his obituary on the Scanlan Funeral Home website.  Jerry graduated from Butler High School and later served in the U.S. Army. While volunteering at the St. Joseph's Hospital emergency room in Paterson, he met his wife, "the l…
$42K Raised For Family Of NJ Man Killed In 'Tragic Accident' Vacationing In Thailand $42K Raised For Family Of NJ Man Killed In 'Tragic Accident' Vacationing In Thailand
$42K Raised For Family Of NJ Man Killed In 'Tragic Accident' Vacationing In Thailand Michael Basciano, a 34-year-old Mount Olive native, died while on vacation in Thailand on Tuesday, July 9, according to his obituary at the Dangler Funeral Home website. Basciano died in a "tragic accident," according to a fundraiser set up to support his family, though additional details have not been made available. As of Wednesday, Aug. 7, the fundraiser has raised more than $42,000. Basciano graduated Mount Olive High School in 2008 and worked in construction management before going into finance, spending the last nine years at Asset Based Lending, his obituary reads.  Last year B…
Daughters Of Pepsi-Loving Truck Driver Killed In Fiery Route 3 Crash Have Special Request Daughters Of Pepsi-Loving Truck Driver Killed In Fiery Route 3 Crash Have Special Request
Daughters Of Pepsi-Loving Truck Driver Killed In Fiery Route 3 Crash Have Special Request Next time you drink a Pepsi, think of Luis "Papo" Santiago. His daughters, in a heartfelt tribute shared to GoFundMe, are asking for just that after the 55-year-old Linden resident was killed in a fiery crash on Route 3 in Clifton on Monday morning, July 22. Santiago's truck clipped an NJ Transit bus carrying 29 passengers in the eastbound lanes then crashed into a barrier near Valley Road and Grove Street, causing the vehicle to erupt in flames, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and Clifton Police Chief Thomas Rinaldi said. Santiago's body was found after firefight…