Family 'Numb' After Pregnant Wayne Woman Dies

WAYNE, NJ — The family of Justyna Dolegowski is struggling to process her and her unborn child's death.

Dolegowski was six months pregnant with her son Christian when she overdosed on heroin. She was so excited to be pregnant. The last post on her Facebook page is of a 20-week sonogram of Christian.

Her Twitter profile said "Mommy To Be" with a heart and then Christian's name.

Dolegowski's brother Bart said he was "numb" following her death.

"I am completely numb in life right now after losing my sister," he said on Facebook the day after Dolegowski died. "Completely speechless and don't even feel like I'm myself at this point."

People expressed their sympathies to the Dolegowski family online.

"Thoughts and prayers to the family for their loss," Melanie Forzono said on Wayne Patch's Facebook post of the story.

Dolegowski's fifth-grade teacher Susan Caplan expressed her sympathies to the family.

"Justyna was a ray of sunshine in my fifth-grade classroom. She was such a sweet young lady and will be missed by all," Caplan said. "Rest in peace beautiful girl."

The family started a GoFundMe page last week to raise $15,000 for Dolegowski's funeral Saturday. Slightly more than $8,000 has been donated.

Related: Justyna Told Everybody She Was Pregnant. Heroin Silenced Her.

People expressed their sympathy to the family on social media in recent days.

"It's easy to think, not in my family, but unfortunately the issue is so prevalent that this thinking can delay one getting help," Christina Nabile said on Facebook. "One cannot understand the pain and desperation one feels when a family member is an addict until you experience it first hand."

The Dolegowskis penned a heartfelt obituary of Justyna's life and the excitement she expressed regarding Christian's pending birth. She was six months pregnant when she died.

"There was a special joy and light in her eyes and she just couldn't wait to hold him in her arms," the family said in the obituary published by the Wayne Colonial Funeral Home. "Heroin will kidnap you, raise you, take your soul and return only your body to your family. Addiction is the only prison where the locks are on the inside, but before you can break out of prison you must realize you are locked up."

People reacted positively to the obituary.

"More people need to do this," Edward Kusswalsh said on Facebook. "It needs to be talked about, not hidden."

Visitation with the family is at Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, Saturday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

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Photo: Justyna Dolegowski/Courtesy of GoFundMe