Grief, Support For 'Great Kid' From Point Pleasant Who Died

POINT PLEASANT – Friends said Richie Caputo was always a "great kid," the son of a state trooper whose family was always selfless and always ready to help.

Now they want to give back to the family in their time of need, just as the family did for others.

"His family could really use the help for all funeral and other sudden expenses due to the situation," said family friend Charlie M. Mckeon Jr., who put together the fundraiser. "I am asking for anyone who can please donate to make this horrific accident easier on the family. Thank you."

Richie, 23 died in a motorcycle accident in Manasquan on Tuesday, according to his obituary. Friends are asking people to donate to Richie's Facebook fundraiser to help defray funeral expenses.

Services also have been planned to honor his memory.

"He was a great kid and is going to be dearly missed. I personally have been lucky enough to know him since he was in diapers," Mckeon Jr. said on Facebook.

Richie, who recently lived in Whiting, worked at Nonna’s Place in Manchester after graduating first from Point Boro High School and then Ocean County College in 2019, receiving a liberal arts degree.

Family friend Peg Doyle said his friends held a vigil at the crash site on Tuesday. His body was found by a NJ Transit train crew that discovered him and his motorcycle. Service was suspended in the area for more than an hour.

"Richie was a great kid," she said. "He was fiercely loyal to his friends and family. He had this infectious laugh and an uncanny ability to make someone laugh even when they were in a bad mood. He was just a happy sweet kid."

Born in Neptune, he grew up in Point Pleasant and Lakehurst before moving to Whiting two years ago. Richie was a parishioner of St. John’s R.C. Church in Lakehurst, according to his obituary from the DeGraff Lakehurst Funeral Home.

Richie enjoyed riding motorcycles with his friends, his obituary said. His Facebook page has a number of pictures of bikes, most of them out on the highway, riding.

Richie is survived by his mother, Donna Filipponi, and her husband, John of Whiting; his father, Richard Caputo and his wife, Eileen of Oakland, Md.; his sister Jessica Yates of Little Egg Harbor, and many family and friends.

Family will be receiving relatives and friends from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 3 at DeGraff Lakehurst Funeral Home, 119 Union Ave. in Lakehurst. A Memorial Mass will be celebrated at 10:45 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 4 at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton R.C. Church, 30 Schoolhouse Rd. in Whiting, with interment immediately following at the church.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in his memory to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, 1702 East Highland Ave., Suite 400, Phoenix, AZ 85016.

Charlie M. Mckeon Sr. told Patch that he watched Richie grew up and he's happy to help promote the fundraiser as much as possible. More than $7,000 was raised as of Wednesday.

Here are other tributes to Richie: