Just Before Christmas, Family Mourns Loss Of Beloved Young Mother, Wife: 'She Was Called Home Much Too Soon'

SHOREHAM, NY — The community is wrapping its arms around a family in mourning — who lost their beloved wife and mother just a few short weeks before Christmas.

A GoFundMe page, "Support for Anthony and Kids Facing Tragic Loss," was created by Nicholas Corleto.

"It is with heavy hearts that we share the passing of Kristen Merz, 37, who courageously battled kidney failure," the page said. "On November 29, she was called home much too soon, leaving behind her loving partner, Anthony, and their four beautiful children, ages 14, 13, 6, and 4."

Corleto continued: "Their youngest children have disabilities requiring specialized care and ongoing support. Even before this tragedy, the family faced significant financial challenges due to extensive medical needs. Now, with mounting medical expenses, funeral and memorial service costs, and daily living expenses, the burden has become overwhelming."

He added: "As we navigate this painful time, especially during the holiday season, we are reaching out to our community for help. Any contribution, no matter the size, will directly support the family’s immediate needs, allowing them to provide stability for the children, and create a foundation for healing."

Donations will help with medical bills, end-of-life care costs, funeral and memorial services, ongoing care and support for the children, household bills and essential living expenses; and "helping the family find stability during their time of grief," the page said.

Kristen, the page said, "was known for her strength, warmth, and deep love for her family. She fought every day to be there for her children. We are hoping to continue that love by surrounding them with community support. Please help us support this family during their darkest hours. Whether through a donation, sharing this campaign, or simply keeping them in your thoughts and prayers, your kindness means more than you know. Thank you for helping us honor her memory and support her husband and children as they navigate life without their beloved wife and mother."

In an update, Corleto added: "Our family is facing an incredibly difficult and unexpected loss, and your generosity, no matter the amount, is making a real difference. Every single donation helps my brother and the kids with immediate needs, from daily essentials to funeral expenses, and we are truly grateful for the kindness this community has shown. We’re hoping to keep the momentum going so we can raise as much support as possible for the children during this unbelievably hard time."

Visitation will continue Tuesday from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Alexander-Rothwell Funeral Home, located at 6447 NY-25A in Wading River.

A mass will be held Wednesday at St. John the Baptist Church, located at 1488 N Country Road in Wading River.

In her obituary, posted on the funeral home's page, Kristen was remembered as a "vibrant, clever, and deeply compassionate soul," who "filled every day with warmth, humor, and the little bits of magic in the everyday."

The obituary added that she "loved many things: her cats, her flowers, all things mystical, and getting lost in a great book. Reading was one of her passions, a quiet place where her imagination could flourish and where she found comfort, inspiration, and wonder.

"But nothing mattered more to her than her family. Kristen was the heart of her home. Her greatest joy was being a loving wife and mother, and she poured her whole self into caring for those she loved. Kristen also hoped to pass along her love of reading to her children. She filled their home with books, shared stories with them, and encouraged each of them to find the kinds of stories that would spark their imagination the way reading had sparked hers. Watching them discover new books and grow curious about the world was something that brought her genuine happiness."

And her obituary said: "Kristen was incredibly strong. She met every challenge with a bravery and determination that inspired everyone who knew her. She fought fiercely for her family— never hesitating, never backing down, always choosing love and loyalty above all else. Whether life asked her to be soft or to be strong, she somehow managed to be both. Her resilience was quiet, steady, and profound.

"Creative, smart, and endlessly resourceful, Kristen had a remarkable ability to make anything work. Whether something was broken, complicated, or simply held together by hope, she could rig a solution in true MacGyver fashion — usually while laughing at one of her own wonderfully corny jokes. Her laughter was infectious, even when she was the only one who found the joke funny. Kristen’s kindness, her curiosity, her humor, and her ability to find beauty even in small moments will be remembered forever by those who were lucky enough to know her."

She is survived by her husband, Anthony, and their children: Liam, 14, Adelaide, 13, Lucius, 5, and Anneliese, 4, "who will carry her love with them always," the obituary said. She is also survived by her parents, Bill and Maureen Merz, and her brother, Billy Merz and his fiancé Alexia.

"Her warmth, her strength, her creativity, her humor, and her love leave an imprint on this world that will never fade. Kristen will be missed beyond words and remembered always," her obituary read.

To donate to the GoFundMe, click here.