Community Corner
Mother Of 2 Killed By Car In Essex County; Family Asks For Help
The family of an Irvington woman needs help paying funeral expenses after she was fatally hit by a car in Maplewood.
ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — “Mom, you passed through our lives like a shooting star, but your light will always shine.” This message of mourning from the family of Maria Dolores Ganzhi Zhao – made as part of an online fundraising campaign – is being made after the 28-year-old mother of two was fatally hit by a car last week in Essex County.
The fatal crash took place on the 1400-block of Springfield Avenue in Maplewood at 9:10 a.m. on May 13, authorities said.
The driver stopped at the scene and has not been charged with a crime. An investigation continues, prosecutors said.
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A GoFundMe campaign has since been launched on behalf of Zhao, an Ecuador native who lived in Irvington for many years. She is the mother of a 7-year-old and 9-month-old.
A viewing was held for mourners in Newark on Saturday.
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The funds will be used to help the family cope with funeral expenses and for Zhao’s surviving daughters, organizers said. Learn more or make a donation online here.
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