Pair Of Fundraisers Started In Hoboken Train Crash Victim’s Name

HOBOKEN, NJ — The loss of 34-year-old Hoboken mother Fabiola Bittar De Kroon in a tragic NJ Transit train crash on Sept. 29 has inspired a pair of online fundraising efforts to benefit orphans in her hometown of Santos, Brazil, organizers say.

The young mother, who worked as a corporate lawyer for the SAP software company, was killed after being hit by debris on the Hoboken platform while the crash's impact caused the terminal's roof to collapse, sending flying metal airborne, officials said.

• See related article: Tears For Young Mother Killed In Hoboken Train Crash As Probe Continues

In the wake of the tragedy, a pair of online fundraisers reportedly hope to help ease the loss of the young mother. Both fundraisers stated that all monies will be donated to orphan homes in Fabiola's home town of Santos, Brazil, at the request of her husband, Adrianus, and daughter, Julia.

The first fundraiser, originally called the “Julia De Kroon Scholarship Fund,” was launched by the Smart Start Academy on behalf of Fabiola’s husband, Adrianus De Kroon, and can be seen here.

“With a heavy heart, we are all remembering the life of Fabiola, as she was a beautiful and devoted mother who loved her family more than anything in the world,” the campaign states. “She was young, vibrant and so full of life. It is truly a tragedy to lose such a remarkable soul. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the De Kroon family and all other families that have been affected by this tragic event… Although we lost Fabiola, memories of her will last a lifetime in our hearts and as long as we carry her memory she will never truly be forgotten.”

The second fundraiser, “Remembering Fabiola Bittar De Kroon,” is being organized by Caroline Henderson, who knew the young mother through the Hoboken Mommies Facebook group. See the campaign here.

“I started this campaign to help someone in a time of need,” reported Henderson, who also helped to organize a candlelight vigil in Columbus Park on Thursday evening.

Both campaigns are working together under the auspices of Adrianus De Kroon, Henderson told Patch.

As of Thursday, the combined campaigns have raised more than $17,000.

FROM BRAZIL TO NEW JERSEY

De Kroon was reportedly married with an 18-month-old baby girl after moving to New Jersey from Brazil earlier this year. The New York Daily News said De Kroon had just dropped off her daughter at day care and raced over to the station just before the crash.

The San Francisco Chronicle reported that she moved to New Jersey because her husband got a job with an international liquor company, and the couple traveled globally and frequently. N.J.com reported that she left SAP earlier this year.

A friend who wished to remain anonymous told The New York Daily News that the couple were deeply in love, saying: “They recently made the decision to have a child and I know that was really big for them."

Photo: GoFundMe

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