NJ community rallies for family after boy, 15, killed in accident

✅ A Jackson Memorial student died in an accident

✅ Police have not disclosed any details about the crash

✅ The teen's family has endured serious medical problems in recent years

JACKSON — An Ocean County community rallied around a family grieving the loss of their teenage son.

An "accident" claimed the life of a Jackson Memorial High School student on Saturday, according to a letter sent to parents from the school district. New Jersey 101.5 has confirmed the student as 15-year-old Jim Morell.

A vigil was held in the teen's memory Sunday night at the family's home

The Jackson school district said the district's crisis team is available to students and staff in need of grief counseling.

Police Chief Matthew Kuntz told New Jersey 101.5 the crash did not happen in Jackson but information about the crash was not available elsewhere.

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Family tragedies

The Morell family has endured its share of challenges in the past few years.

Bettina Morell was diagnosed with cecal colon cancer in 2020 after the family's small business lost its health insurance during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a GoFundMe fundraiser. The family was also denied NJ Charity Care.

Her husband, Lane, was hospitalized in 2021 for double pneumonia. Within two days of his release, Lane returned to where he was found to have a flesh-eating bacterial infection, according to another GoFundMe fundraiser.

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