Help Support Toms River Teacher and Her Family During Difficult Time

We've all heard the saying, "when it rains, it pours." Unfortunately, this has been the case for Toms River's Jenny Azzarello and her family.

Jenny Azzarello is not only an outstanding teacher in the Toms River School District but she's a loving wife and mother of three.

In December of 2019, while driving to work, Jenny, who was seven months pregnant at the time suffered a seizure and crashed her car. Testing revealed a mass in her brain. She was transported to Lenox Hill Hospital in New York.

Jenny's accident happened just days after her husband Joe had a seizure while leaving a local restaurant with their family. The seizure rendered him unable to drive for a period of time as well as unable to make the long commute to work in Woodbridge.

Jenny was told that she would be able to carry her baby to term but was notified by doctors that she would require brain surgery just two weeks after delivery. This surgery would come with many risks, but those risks became an afterthought when Jenny started experiencing more seizures.

Doctors concluded that they would need to deliver her baby early to perform the surgery as soon as possible. On January 30th, Jenny and her husband welcomed a beautiful and healthy baby boy to their family!

Just one week after delivery, Jenny underwent brain surgery. The surgery was a success, and they were able to remove the whole mass. Again, it looked like things were looking up. Tragically, a few weeks after her procedure, Jenny got the results of the pathology report. Stage 4 Glioblastoma. Cancer. Jenny now has to undergo chemotherapy and radiation to fight this deadly tumor.

Both Jenny and her husband are out of work due to illness and expenses are growing. Medical bills are getting bigger, making it nearly impossible to stay afloat with three young children (ages 4, 2, and 1 month).

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the Azzarello Family during their time of need while both Jenny and her husband Joe are fighting, and recovering.

My hope is that you are never in a situation like this. Think of being a parent and physically unable to provide for your children. Think about Jenny who is holding on to life itself.

Please visit the GoFundMe page and help this young Toms River family. They are one of our own.

There is also a special Spaghetti Dinner being organized in Joe's school district taking place on Sunday, April 26th at the Colonia Fire House in Colonia. All proceeds will go to help the family with medical expenses. They are seeking donations in the form of gift baskets. If you or your business are interested in donating, please call Councilwoman Debbie Meehan at 732-382-0273. CLICK HERE for more information.