Community Corner

$50K Given To Family Of Saddle Brook Teen Killed In Crash

Brooke Costanzo, 16, died Monday after the SUV she was driving veered off a South Brunswick road and hit a tree.

SADDLE BROOK, NJ — More than $50,000 has been donated to the family of Brooke Costanzo, the borough 16-year-old who died this week after the SUV she was driving veered off the road and struck a tree.

More than $50,500 was donated to the Costanzo family in the day since the campaign went online as of Wednesday afternoon. Donations ranged from $1,000 to $5.

Costanzo's father Timothy died in a motorcycle crash near Interstate 80 when Brooke was just 10 years old, NJ.com reported.

Find out what's happening in Fair Lawn-Saddle Brookfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Authorities are trying to determine why Costanzo, who did not have a driver's license, took her mother's 2012 Honda Pilot and drove it nearly 50 miles away to South Brunswick Sunday night, police previously said.

South Brunswick police were called at 6:31 p.m. to Fresh Ponds Road near Selma Drive for a vehicle off the roadway that hit a tree, Patch previously reported. It took firefighters 30 minutes to pull Costanzo from the wreckage. She died from her injuries Monday morning.

Find out what's happening in Fair Lawn-Saddle Brookfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Hundreds of Costanzo's schoolmates and friends attended a vigil in her memory at Saddle Brook High School Tuesday night.

"She was the most outgoing, lovely person I've ever had the pleasure of knowing," said Anjelica Parisi, who said she knew Costanzo since they were 4 years old. "She just knew how to make everyone smile, no matter what the situation was."

Visitation with the Costanzo family will be Wednesday, Dec. 6 from 4 to 8 p.m. at Our Lady of Mount Virgin R.C. Church at 188 MacArthur Ave. in Garfield. A funeral mass will be at the church Thursday at 9 a.m.


Related: Saddle Brook Teen Killed In South Brunswick Crash Sunday
Related:
Funeral Services Set For Brooke Costanzo


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Photo via GoFundMe page for Brooke Costanzo

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