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Community Rallies To Repay Late Teaneck Rowing Coach's Student Loans

TEANECK, N.J. -- Jenny Santos , a 29-year-old rowing coach in Teaneck and phys ed teacher in East Orange, died this past Saturday in a widely-publicized accident in New York City. A friend is trying to take care of one issue that worried Santos during her life: student debt.

Jenny Santos

Jenny Santos

Photo Credit: GoFundMe

And the community has stepped up in a huge way, meeting the initial GoFundMe goal is little more than a day.

Santos fell over 30 feet from an escalator at the World Trade Center Oculus transit hub this past Saturday, as Daily Voice reported. She was pronounced dead at the hospital.  

A Kearny resident, Santos was a 2012 graduate of William Paterson University, in Wayne. NorthJersey.com reported that Santos had earned bachelor's degrees in science and physical education, and was a substitute teacher before landing a full-time teaching physical education job this past fall.

She'd been hired as a phys ed teacher at the East Orange Community Charter School and was still teaching at the time of her accident. She was also a coach for the Teaneck-based Bergen County Rowing Academy. 

Stephanie Marie set up a GoFundMe campaign on Monday, to help repay Santos' student loans. As of Wednesday afternoon, people had donated over $31,000, exceeding the $30,000 initial goal.

According to the GoFundMy page, If Santos' loans are ultimately forgiven -- as federal student loans are, when the borrower dies -- the the donated money will go to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, in Santos' memory. 

You can view the GoFundMe campaign -- and potentially donate -- here. 

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