Passaic Valley Alum Struck In Head By Line Drive At College Baseball Practice, Family Says Passaic Valley Alum Struck In Head By Line Drive At College Baseball Practice, Family Says
Passaic Valley Alum Struck In Head By Line Drive At College Baseball Practice, Family Says Nicholas Fiorita was days into his baseball career at the County College of Morris when the unthinkable happened. The freshman, who graduated from Passaic Valley High School last spring, was struck in the head by a line drive at practice on Wednesday, Sept. 4, according to a GoFundMe campaign launched by his sister, Sofia. Fiorita has been in a medically-induced coma and, although he's since been taken off of a ventilator and is breathing on his own, it's too soon to say how his brain will respond to the injury, Sofia says. As of Monday, Sept. 9, more than $35,700 had been raised on t…
Former MSU Baseball Player Nicholas Cocchia Dies, $36K Raised Former MSU Baseball Player Nicholas Cocchia Dies, $36K Raised
Former MSU Baseball Player Nicholas Cocchia Dies, $36K Raised Support is on the rise for the family of former New Jersey high school baseball player Nicholas "Nick" Cocchia, who died suddenly on Monday, Aug. 26, according to his obituary on the Rossi Funeral Home website. He was 25 years old. Nick was raised in Mountainside before moving to Kenilworth with his family, his obituary says. Nick played first base, outfield, and pitched for the varsity baseball team at Governor Livingston High School in Berkley Heights, his obituary says.  He helped lead the team to their victory as state champions in 2015 before playing college baseball for Mont…
Wrong-Way Crash Kills Groom, Cousin Night Before Bergen County Wedding Wrong-Way Crash Kills Groom, Cousin Night Before Bergen County Wedding
Wrong-Way Crash Kills Groom, Cousin Night Before Bergen County Wedding A weekend that would've been one of the happiest for the families of Kirk Walker and Shauntea Weaver ended in tragedy. The pair were set to marry on Sunday, Aug. 25 at The Royal Manor in Garfield. But early Saturday morning, Aug. 24, Walker, 38, and his cousin, Robert "Todd" McLaurin, 40, were killed by a wrong-way driver on the Henry Hudson Parkway in New York City, according to loved ones and the NYPD.  As of Thursday, Sept. 5, more than $31,900 had been raised on a GoFundMe for Weaver, whose Facebook page says she is a nurse who lives in Teaneck. According to the campaign launched…
Flight Crew Raises $18K For Family Of Popular Atlantic Air Nurse Jay McChesney Flight Crew Raises $18K For Family Of Popular Atlantic Air Nurse Jay McChesney
Flight Crew Raises $18K For Family Of Popular Atlantic Air Nurse Jay McChesney A fundraiser has been launched to aid the family of Jay McChesney, a New Jersey father and flight nurse who died last month at 55 years old. Jay, of Hillsborough, died on Friday, Aug. 30, leaving behind his wife, Jennette and their three children, Jordan, James, and Joe. Nicknamed an "All American Hero," Jay was a founding member of the Atlantic Air 1 medevac team and was a nurse at Robert Wood Johnson after having spent 24 years serving in the Coast Guard. As of Tuesday, Sept. 3, more than $18,000 had been raised on the GoFundMe for the McChesney family, launched by members of Jay's f…
'It Was Always Matty And John:' Pregnant Gaudreau Widow Has Special Message For Sister-In-Law 'It Was Always Matty And John:' Pregnant Gaudreau Widow Has Special Message For Sister-In-Law
'It Was Always Matty And John:' Pregnant Gaudreau Widow Has Special Message For Sister-In-Law Madeline Gaudreau is speaking out after her husband and his brother's death, leaving her a single mom-to-be — tragically, unexpectedly. Madeline, who was expecting baby Tripp with 29-year-old Matthew Gaudreau when he and his 31-year-old brother Johnny were struck and killed by suspected drunk driver and New Jersey National Guardsman, Sean Higgins. She says the two were each other's best friends. "It was always Matty & John," Madeline said on Instagram days after the Oldmans Township crash. "I can’t even put into words the bond these two had and right now I don’t have the strength.…
Matt Gaudreau Was Expecting Baby With Wife, Madeline, Campaign Says Matt Gaudreau Was Expecting Baby With Wife, Madeline, Campaign Says
Matt Gaudreau Was Expecting Baby With Wife, Madeline, Campaign Says The Gaudreau family had much to look forward to. Katie Gaudreau was set to marry Devin Joyce on Friday, Aug. 30. Johnny Gaudreau and his wife, Meredith, were weeks away from celebrating their daughter's second birthday. Matt Gaudreau and his wife, Madeline, were expecting a baby, according to a GoFundMe page launched for Madeline's future. ALSO SEE: Pregnant Gaudreau Widow Has Special Message For Sister-In-Law But the Gaudreau family's happy future was ripped away from them on Thursday, Aug. 29, when brothers Matt and Johnny were struck and killed by a DUI driver …
Bergen County Family Critical In South Carolina Road Trip Crash Bergen County Family Critical In South Carolina Road Trip Crash
Bergen County Family Critical In South Carolina Road Trip Crash Several members of a Bergen County family were in critical condition following a crash on a summer vacation. A GoFundMe launched for Vivek Talwar, his wife, Kiran Bhat Talwar, and their four children, of Cresskill, says they were on a road trip when they were involved in a crash on Friday morning, Aug. 23, outside Charleston, SC. Colleton County Fire-Rescue Vivek, Kiran, and one child remain hospitalized with life-threatening injuries, while three of their children were released from the hospital but required assistive devices to move, reads the campaign launched by Tuisha Desai…
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…
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…
Volunteer Ambulance Squad Member Killed In Route 287 Wreck Volunteer Ambulance Squad Member Killed In Route 287 Wreck
Volunteer Ambulance Squad Member Killed In Route 287 Wreck A longtime first responder from Bergen County was killed last week in an off-duty crash on Route 287, police said. John Papendick, 58, who served 11 years on the Waldwick Volunteer Ambulance Corps, died in the Wednesday, Aug. 14 crash along Route 287 in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey State Police Sgt. Jeffrey Lebron said. Papendick was heading south in a Dodge Charger when he veered off the road to the right, striking the guardrail around 9:25 a.m., Lebron said. He reentered the roadway across all lanes and struck the concrete traffic barrier. While Papendick's injuries were con…
Award-Winning NJ Police Officer Battles Cancer, Chief Pleads For Prayers Award-Winning NJ Police Officer Battles Cancer, Chief Pleads For Prayers
Award-Winning NJ Police Officer Battles Cancer, Chief Pleads For Prayers A police officer with roots in the New Jersey borough that he serves is battling cancer, and his chief is asking for prayers. James "Jimmy" Ciampi, of the Fairfield Police Department, was described by FPD Chief Anthony Manna as a "young, bright, and dedicated" officer. Ciampi is unable to come to work and remains focused on battling cancer, Manna said. Ciampi began his career with FPD as a Class II Special Officer in October 2016. A year later, he became a full-time officer. In 2022, Ciampi was assigned to the Essex County Auto Theft Task Force for six months "where he excelled at helping…
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…