A young athlete from North Jersey is being mourned after a tragic crash on Route 17 last week.

Cyrenius Menard was killed after a Friday collision with a tractor-trailer on the highway in Saddle River, in which the 19-year-old was thrown from his car, as reported by Daily Voice.

Menard graduated from Saint Joseph Regional High School in Montvale in 2021 and then “reclassified” to Saint Thomas More School in Connecticut, where he attended the first half of this year.

He then enrolled at Sacred Heart University in January and was “excelling as a student and football player,” before his death on May 6, according to a memorial post by St. Thomas More on Facebook.

“His smile lit up the room, his positive attitude was infectious and he was a pleasure to be around, a true #VirFidelis,” St. Joseph Regional said on the school’s website and social media pages.

A GoFundMe campaign to help his family, including funeral expenses, had raised more than $35,000 by Tuesday afternoon.

Among surviving family members is an older brother, Kesnel Menard (St. Joseph’s Regional Class of 2008), according to the school.

The Montvale school was hosting a Thursday funeral service at 1 p.m. — after observing a noon dismissal for students and staff.

“Cy’s joy and smile was contagious and he lit up every room he entered. We will miss him dearly. How lucky we were to have Cy in our lives. Our love and prayers are with Cy’s family, friends and the entire STM community," St. Thomas More School said in a post on Facebook.

Erin Vogt is a reporter and anchor for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach her at erin.vogt@townsquaremedia.com

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