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HARVEY CEDARS – An 18-year-old Wayne teenager who died in a boating accident off Harvey Cedars on Aug. 25 was about to begin her freshman year of college at Rutgers University in Newark.
Zeina Mahafzah graduated from Wayne Hills High School this spring.
New Jersey State Police said Mahafzah was on a raft being towed by a boat. As the 18-year-old attempted to board, she was struck by the boat’s propeller and suffered fatal injuries, police said.
Harvey Cedars Police said the death was the result of a “tragic boating accident” and asked that the family’s privacy be respected during this difficult time.
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The accident occurred at 4:30 p.m. Sunday in the water off Sunset Park in Harvey Cedars, according to state police, who are leading the investigation.
In a statement to PEOPLE magazine, Rutgers University/Newark confirmed that Zeina is enrolled there for fall 2024 courses, which begin September 3.
“The Rutgers-Newark community is devastated by the news of Zeina’s death, and we send our support to the Mahafzah family during this incredibly difficult time,” the school said.
Zeina’s father, Al Mahafzah, posted on Facebook about his daughter’s funeral planned for August 28.
“From Allah we come and to Him we return,” Al Mahafzah’s Facebook post reads. “It is with great sadness that we inform the community of the loss of Zeina Mahafzah, who returned to her Lord on Sunday, August 24, 2024. She is succeeded by her parents Ala Mahafzah and Wajd Al-Jamal, her brothers Ali and Taym, and beloved family members of Mahafzah and Al-Jamal.”
A memorial service was scheduled for 1 p.m. on August 28 at the Islamic Center of Passaic County in Paterson, followed immediately by the funeral. Condolences and prayers were also scheduled for Wednesday evening at the El-Zahra Islamic Center in Midland Park.
“We pray that Allah will accept all the good she has done and raise her to the highest level of paradise, heaven, and grant the family patience during this time,” the post said. In lieu of flowers, the family is asking for donations to the American Cancer Society in Zeina’s name.
Jean Mikle covers Toms River, Seaside Heights and several other Ocean County towns. She is also passionate about the Coast’s storied music scene. Contact her: @jeanmikle, [email protected].
