James Galante Memorial Fund To Honor Marblehead Student-Athlete

MARBLEHEAD, MA — A memorial fund set up to create scholarships and other ways to honor the memory of a Marblehead High senior-athlete killed in a car crash last week raised more than $48,000 in its first 20 hours since going live.

The James R. Galante Memorial Fund was launched online through GoFundMe and Grand National Bank.

"If you know the Galante Family, then you have probably seen them on the athletic fields throughout the region for many years," Fund organizer William Crouch said. "James, Dahlia, Julius and Oscar all competing, while dad, Jimmy, coaches from the sidelines and mom, Lisa, cheers them all on.

"You need not look any further than the hundreds of people who turned out at the MHS candlelight vigil for James. 'Coach' Jimmy somehow found the strength to turn up and give everyone a hug, most especially the town's young athletes desperately trying to make sense of this overwhelming loss."

Saturday night's vigil came the day after students were told that Galante, 18, died from injuries suffered when the car he was driving went off the causeway early last Friday morning. Superintendent John Buckey said the school and students were informed of Galante's death at the conclusion of that school day.

Galante was a member of the Marblehead High football team that won the Division 3 Super Bowl at Gillette Stadium in December. He had planned to study physics and play football at Dennison University.

Buckey requested the privacy of classmates, staff and their families be respected in news coverage and on social media as they grieve earlier this week.

Those looking to make a donation to the fund can do so either through the GoFundMe page or by sending a check to James R. Galante Memorial Fund, National Grand Bank, 91 Pleasant Street, Marblehead, MA 01945, Attn. Matt Martin.

GoFundMe is a Patch partner.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)