Fundraiser For Surviving Son Of Marlboro Family, Victims Of Car Crash

MARLBORO, NJ — As a funeral is being held Friday and a fundraising site is receiving donations from hundreds of people, the Salib family of Marlboro is being remembered as "beautiful souls," loving, faithful and dedicated to education.

A GoFundMe site for Danny Salib, the surviving son of the family who lost their lives in a car crash July 3 in Freehold Township, was established by a cousin, Kiroles Soliman. A photo of the family is on the site.

On Friday, July 8, there will be a Divine Liturgy from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the St. Mina Coptic Orthodox Church in Holmdel with a funeral service to follow. Burial at the Marlboro Memorial Cemetery will take place immediately after, the site explains.

The Salibs were very involved and prayerful members for about 13 years of St. Mina church, said Father Abraham Wassef. Before that, the family worshipped at a Coptic Orthodox church in Bayonne and were well known in the state's Egyptian Coptic community.

"They were very peaceful and kind," Wassef said. He said they attended services faithfully and always arrived early to stand and pray before the service began.

Hanaa Salib came to the church every Monday to clean the church. "That was her ministry," Wassef said.

Masoud Salib was a successful professional engineer, he said, and a gentle man.

Son Mark "was a very good young man," Wassef said. He was planning to start medical school at Rowan University and follow in his brother's footsteps. Danny Salib is studying medicine in Buffalo, N.Y., Wassef said.

And faith will carry the family and community through this period, he said.

"We have our faith in God, no matter what happens," Waseff said.

Regarding the fundraising site, "many have reached out wanting to help and this is the best way I believe we can come together in order to reduce his (Danny Salib's) financial burden and bear his own moving forward," Kiroles Soliman of Bayonne said in a statement on the site.

"On July 3, Danny’s family was involved in a horrific car accident on Route 9, and unfortunately, his beloved parents and brother all perished.

"Rest in peace, Uncle Masoud, Aunt Hanaa and Mark Salib," Soliman said.

Soliman thanked donors, saying "I wish I could personally thank every single one of you. We have increased our goal (to $100,000), as suggested by some of you. Our family truly appreciates everyone for their help and prayers." Fundraising continues to surpass that goal.

Soliman offered insight into the Salib family in his remarks on the site:

"The Salib Family dedicated their lives to their children, church and the community. They were loving, selfless and empathetic. Their absence will forever be felt in our hearts," he wrote.

"We are incredibly grateful for the support from our family and friends. Thank you for your prayers and emotional support.

"As we all make an effort to comprehend what happened, we ask for some time for us to mourn the loss of these beautiful souls."

He concluded with a biblical reference, 2 Corinthians 5:8 "We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord."

Soliman said the family was driving that day to run errands for Mark, who was setting up an apartment and had plans to attend medical school. He said the Salib parents were big supporters of their sons' education, according to comments in NJ.com.

Mark Salib was also remembered on the Colts Neck Cougars Football site: "So sad to hear of the sudden passing of Colts Neck Football alumnus Mark Salib ‘19. Prayers up for him and his family. A true lineman, Mark always worried about others before himself. #64 #cougarforlife"

"They were an all around great family. They raised two great sons," Soliman said.

The family's car was rear-ended in a multi-car crash on Route 9 in Freehold Township July 3 that involved five cars, authorities have said.

As word of the loss of the family members became known in Marlboro, Mayor Jon Hornik said the town is keeping the family in their thoughts and prayers.

"We are still a very close-knit community, and this has devastated all of us," Hornik said.

He said the community will do whatever it can for the family.

Another person, a 74-year-old Manalapan woman who, authorities say, was driving the car that struck the Salibs' car, is also hospitalized with serious injuries. Chris Swendeman, a spokesperson for the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office, said her identity has not yet been released.

He said the investigation is ongoing.