Crime & Safety

River Edge Native, 14, Dies In Florida Boat Accident

Christian Arabas was a recent graduate of River Dell Middle School. 'A sweeter boy you could not find,' one of his teachers said.

Christian Arabas, his mother Meredith, and brother, Timothy.
Christian Arabas, his mother Meredith, and brother, Timothy. (GoFundMe, a Patch promotional partner)

RIVER EDGE, NJ —A 14-year-old borough native died recently in a boating accident in Florida just days after moving there with his family.

Christian Arabas, a River Dell Middle School alumnus, was killed in a boating accident, said Tracey Schoenberg, a friend of the family who set up a GoFundMe page to help his mother and brother move back to Bergen County.

"We need your help and prayers. Unfortunately, the family has significant funeral expenses as well as the cost of relocating Meredith and Tim back to Bergen County," Schoenberg said.

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The family moved to Florida after Meredith got a new job, Schoenberg said. She created the GoFundMe page to help the family with funeral expenses and college expenses for Timothy, who will be a senior at River Dell High School.

More than $23,000 was donated to the GoFundMe campaign in the first 12 hours of it going live Sunday.

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People left well wishes for the family on the campaign web page.

Kathleen Salvatore said she taught Arabas when he was in fifth grade.

"A sweeter boy you could not find," Salvatore said.

No funeral arrangements have been made yet, Schoenberg said.


Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com

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