TUCKERTON — A couple raising teenage children died hours apart Monday in two separate accidents, leaving grieving friends and relatives across New Jersey.

Stacy Kaznowski died in an accident while she was swimming off Beach Haven on Long Beach Island. She was pronounced dead at AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center in Atlantic City, Tuckerton police Chief Brian Olsen told Townsquare Media News.

"Six and a half hours later, Keith suffered from a medical episode at the family's residence, which caused him to fall. He passed away from the injuries from his fall," Olsen said.

The chief said the medical examiner believes the fall in front of family was the result of a stress-induced seizure triggered by a lifelong medical condition.

"Total freak tragedy. We were trying to wrap our heads around it because we didn't believe it at first but everything added up when we did our investigations," Olsen said.

The parents had a 16-year-old daughter and sons ages 15 and 20, police said.

The fundraising page described the couple as "the neighborhood parents of Tuckerton" who made their home a "safe and loving place for all."

"We owe it to Stacy and Keith to help their children through such heartache as they’ve done for us thousands of times," the page's creator Haley Giacobbe wrote on the page. The money will go towards funeral expenses.

Carteret Mayor Dan Reiman said Stacy and Keith grew up in his borough before moving to Ocean County. Stacy's maiden name is Black and her family still lives in Carteret.

"On a personal level, I have known the Black family for many years as they were active members of our Carteret community. As a child growing up, Stacy was my neighbor for a few years and was always very kind and friendly. Our local Masonic lodge, which Stacy's father Donald is a member of, is raising funds and items for the surviving children," Reiman said in a written statement.

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