Beloved Putnam Speech-Language Pathologist, Mom Of 3, Remembered For Love Of Her 'Kiddos'
A beloved elementary school worker who helped students find their voice is being remembered for the care and compassion she showed every child she met.
Maura Babbitt, of Putnam, died Saturday, July 11, her family said on social media. The wife and mother of three boys was a fighter, they said. She survived leukemia in her 20s and later beat breast cancer. Her family did not disclose the cause of her death.
"My mother was dealt cards that no one should’ve been dealt, but she took them, played them, and continued to prioritize everyone else around her before herself," her son Aidan Babbitt wr…
Randolph Mantooth Dies: Actor Built Decades-Long Career In Classic TV Shows, Soaps
He became famous playing a lifesaver, then spent decades honoring the people who do that work for real.
Actor Randolph Mantooth, best known for his role as firefighter-paramedic Johnny Gage on NBC’s 1970s series "Emergency!," died Thursday, July 9, at 80, according to multiple reports.
Mantooth died at a hospice facility in Ventura, California, after years of declining health, People reported, citing his brother, Donald Mantooth.
Entertainment Weekly also reported that Mantooth had battled several cancers before his death.
Born Randy DeRoy Mantooth in Sacramento, California, in 1945, he g…
Nearly $100K Raised In 48 Hours For Virginia Father, Community Leader: 'Unimaginable Void'
The numbers keep climbing.
Less than two days after Sathguru Dhandapani's death, nearly 1,000 people have donated almost $100,000 to help the Northern Virginia father's family, a reflection of the impact friends say he quietly made on thousands of lives long before they were asked to give.
Dhandapani died on Thursday, July 9, at Inova Fairfax Hospital after suffering critical injuries in a crash days earlier. He was 50.
Funeral services were held Saturday in Oakton, where family, friends, and members of the Tamil community gathered to remember a man they say was rarely far from the next pe…
'They Were Best Friends': Mother To Launch Foundation Honoring Malden Woman Killed In Crash
The mother of a Massachusetts woman killed in a New Hampshire motorcycle crash is turning her unthinkable loss into lasting purpose by creating a foundation that will carry on her daughter's lifelong mission of helping others, friends said.
Michaela Svetlana Waldrop, 29, of Malden, died in a motorcycle crash in Gorham, New Hampshire, on July 2, according to police. Now, her mother, Kris Waldrop, is working to establish the Michaela Waldrop Foundation, which will support underserved individuals and families in her daughter's honor.
Friends and loved ones have launched a GoFundMe t…
Final Words Of Former Rutgers Star Shared By Twin Brother
Former Rutgers defensive lineman Jamil Merrell has died, his twin brother announced in an emotional social media post Tuesday, July 7. He was 36 years old.
"As I write this, I'm sitting beside my twin brother, surrounded by our family, knowing that we're witnessing one of the hardest moments we'll ever have to face," Jamal Merrell wrote. "With tears in our eyes and love in our hearts, I want everyone to know that my twin brother, Jamil, is peacefully transitioning to be with God."
Before his death, Jamil shared one final message with his family, according to his brother.
"It's time fo…
Longtime Monroe-Lakeside Firefighter Who Served On 9/11 Dies: 'He Cared'
A longtime Orange County volunteer firefighter and retired FDNY firefighter who responded to the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, has died following a battle with cancer.
John A. Braunagel Jr., a life member of the Monroe-Lakeside Fire & Rescue Company, died on Monday, July 6, according to the department.
Firefighters said Braunagel joined Monroe-Lakeside on Oct. 2, 1987, at the age of 18. Sponsored for membership by his father, the late John Braunagel Sr., he went on to build a decades-long career in the fire service, later joining the FDNY.
When terrorists attac…
East Haven Family Seeks Help After 25-Year-Old Killed In Accident: 'He Will Be Deeply Missed'
A Connecticut community is mourning the sudden death of a 25-year-old man who died in an accident.
Anderson Mauricio Ledesma Jara, of East Haven, died Friday, July 3, according to his obituary. His family did not describe the accident that led to his death.
Ledesma Jara is being remembered for "his kind heart, caring spirit, and the love he shared with those around him." His loved ones said "his warmth, laughter, and generosity touched many lives and that he will be deeply missed," according to his obituary.
He leaves behind his parents, siblings, and a host of aunts, uncles, and cou…
Heartbreak After Newark Mom, Teacher Dies At 33
A Newark teacher and devoted mother is being remembered after her death at 33, as loved ones rally to support the young son she leaves behind.
Julianny Lantigua, affectionately known as "Juju," died on Thursday, July 2. She was a fourth-grade teacher at the Park Elementary School in Newark.
"Ms. Lantigua was a caring educator, a devoted mother, and a cherished member of the Park Elementary family," the school said in a Facebook tribute. "Her kindness, compassion, and dedication touched the lives of so many students, families, and colleagues, and she will be deeply missed."
A GoFundMe …
'He Lit Up Any Room': Wolcott Mourns Elementary Student Who Died After Surgery Complications
A Connecticut community is rallying around the family of a Connecticut elementary school student who died suddenly after suffering complications following eye surgery, his family said.
Adam Fontalvo, a rising third grader at Alcott School in Wolcott, died Tuesday, July 1, following surgery for a cataract and retinal detachment, according to his loved ones.
A GoFundMe created to help his family with funeral and medical expenses had raised nearly $28,000 as of Friday, July 3.
"Adam Fontalvo was a happy, big boy who loved anyone and everyone," the fundraiser said. "He always left a grea…
Carteret School Aide Dies, 55
A Carteret school aide known for her laughter, generosity and devotion to her family has died at 55.
Ernestina Cruz died on Saturday, June 27, at Overlook Medical Center in Summit, according to her obituary on the Chubenko Funeral Home website.
Born in Cayey, Puerto Rico, Cruz moved to Carteret in 1987 and spent years working as a teacher's aide for Carteret Public Schools.
She was known for her generous spirit, strength and lively personality. She loved making people laugh, cooking Puerto Rican meals for family and friends, hosting gatherings, dancing and listening to music, but not…
Monmouth University Coach Dies Unexpectedly: Remembering Louis DiRienzio
Louis DiRienzo, the defensive coordinator at Monmouth University, died at the age of 34, the university announced Wednesday, July 1.
DiRienzo joined Monmouth as a linebackers coach in February 2025 before being promoted to defensive coordinator in January.
A native of Yonkers, DiRienzo grew up in New Rochelle, attending New Rochelle High School, where his father, Lou DiRienzo, Sr. served as head coach. While playing for the Huguenots, he earned All-State, All-County, All-Section and All-League honors.
He played college football at Southern Connecticut State University, getting a degree in…
