Dane Fante, a second-year business administration and communication student, passed away suddenly on Saturday, Feb. 3 at Monmouth Medical Center following an off-campus car accident.
According to a press release published by the Ocean Township Police Department, the single-car accident took place at approximately 2:40 a.m. on South Lincoln Avenue in Ocean. A preliminary investigation by the department indicates that the car, reported to be a 2006 Audi A8, struck a tree, resulting in injuries to both occupants.
The car was allegedly driven by Jose Rivera, a sophomore business administration student. According to The Asbury Park Press, Rivera was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune to be treated for non-life threatening injuries.
Fante was pronounced dead at Monmouth Medical Center at 3:20 a.m. due to injuries sustained in the accident. Fante and Rivera were the only occupants of the vehicle, according to the police press release.
President Grey Dimenna, Esq., informed the campus community of the tragic incident at 1:33 p.m. Saturday afternoon.
“It is with deep sadness that I inform you of the death of one of our students,” read his e-mail. “The University mourns the tragic and untimely death of a member of our community and extends its deepest sympathies to his family and friends at this most difficult time.”
“The Monmouth University community is deeply saddened by the loss of Dane Fante,” said Dimenna in a later statement. “Dane was a second-year student studying communication and business at the university, but he was also a beloved son, brother, and friend. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time.”
“This was just an awfully tragic situation,” said Mary Anne Nagy, the Acting Vice President for External Affairs and Vice President for Student Life and Leadership Engagement. “Whenever there’s the loss of life of any person, particularly a young person, I think it is very difficult for a community. It’s particularly hard, I think, on young people, on the peers of the person who died, because you never think, at your age, that your life is going to end… it’s hard, as a young person, to wrap your head around it.”
According to Nagy, support services for students, faculty, and staff will be available at Counseling and Psychological Services and the Office of Student Life.
“Our counseling center has been involved, and is here, and I really want to make this very, very clear,” said Nagy. “Our counseling center – and I spoke with Dr. Lee, our director, this morning, he’s doing outreach to as many students from an individual, or group, or class perspective as possible. And if that means I need to bring in extra resources, I’ll bring in extra resources to do it. I think it’s very important that students, all of us, have an opportunity to process this. Sometimes it’s important to process it, not just among ourselves, but with some help.”
One outreach plan that Nagy specified was coming in and “facilitating a conversation” with those who had been in classes with both Fante and Rivera.
According to Nagy, Rivera is still hospitalized, but she did not have any more information.
According to an e-mail sent by Nagy on Feb. 6, Fante’s family will receive friends and relatives at the Bradley Funeral Home in Marlton, NJ from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Weds., Feb. 7.
A mass of Christian burial will be held on Thursday at noon at our Lady of Good Counsel Church in Moorsetown, NJ.
The family has requested that in lieu of flowers, memorial donations be made to Burlington County Animal Shelter.
According to Nagy, University flags will remain lowered for the next several days in memory of Fante.
Authorities have asked that anyone with information on the crash call the Prosecutor’s Office Detective Kristian DeVito at 800-544-7443 or Ocean Township Police Sergeant Todd Gregory at 732-531-1800.
