River Edge's Christian Arabas Remembered As 'Amazing,' 'Special'

RIVER EDGE, NJ — Christian Arabas is being remembered with kind words following the 14-year-old's tragic death recently.

Arabas, a River Dell Middle School alumnus, was killed in a boating accident in Florida just days after moving there.

Arabas, his mother Meredith, and brother, Tim, are originally from River Edge. They moved to Florida recently after Meredith got a new job, said Tracey Schoenberg, a friend of the family who set up a GoFundMe page to help the family. Arabas died a few days after they moved, she said.

Related: River Edge Native, 14, Dies In Florida Boat Accident

More than 240 people donated $31,000 since the page went live Sunday. Some remembered Arabas in the page's comments section.

"My heart just breaks about the sudden loss of an amazing boy. Christian will always hold a special place in my heart. To know him was to love him," said Lisa Salvatore.

"My son Jack, was a friend of Christian's, Jack said he was a 'great kid and so nice,'' said Anne Gerne Wodenshek on the GoFundMe page. "Jack and I send our condolences and are praying for Christian and his family."

"Christian was a special kid and our thoughts and prayers are with your family," the Gilmour family said.

River Dell Regional School District Superintendent Patrick Fletcher said the district was"deeply saddened" to learn of Arabas' death.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the Arabas family at this difficult time," Fletcher said.

The family is moving back to the area and Tim Arabas will attend River Dell Regional High School, Schoenberg said on the GoFundMe page.

"River Dell remains steadfast in our support and will do everything we can to help," Fletcher said.

Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com