'Bury Me In New Jersey': Friends Make Passaic County Native's Dying Wish Come True

She was a mom and a wife, first and foremost.

She was an autism advocate to her son and others at the Santiago & Friends Family Center for Autism, where she worked.

Tara was a Jersey Girl -- Paterson, born and raised. And as she spent her final days battling Stage 4 colon cancer, Tara expressed her dying wish: To be buried in New Jersey.

More than $5,200 had been raised on a GoFundMe launched by Tara's friend Dorothy Bara as of Saturday morning to help bring Tara's body from Florida to New Jersey to fulfill her dying wish.

Tara passed away on Dec. 3. She was 48 years old.

A Paterson native, Tara moved to Florida, where she lived with her son Eddie, and husband, Ed.

She had been working to pay off lingering medical bills from when Eddie's cancer battle as a toddler.

Tara's own illness kept her out of work and created more medical expenses for her family.

Her husband, Ed, has found himself a single father earlier this month, with thousands of dollars worth of bills to pay as he grieves.

Meanwhile, condolences poured in.

"Tara, we had so many laughs in the years we hung out in our 20’s," Steph Berrios said. 

"The world will definitely have a void in it without your warmth, smile, humor and beautiful, generous voice."

"Tara was a wonderful person a fantastic mom," said Rosalyn Frunzi, "and always loved her beautiful smile."

Funeral arrangements at the Kugler Funeral Home in Saddle Brook are pending.

Click here to donate to Tara's family.

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