Miss New Jersey 2013 Cara McCollum dies a week after car crash

Shore News Today ^

[SMGFan]

Miss New Jersey 2013 Cara McCollum died at Cooper University Hospital early Monday, Feb. 22 from injuries suffered in a single-car accident a week ago, according to a post on the Prayers for Cara Facebook page set up by her boyfriend, NBC10 news anchor Keith Jones.

“Her family was with her in the operating room, and she died peacefully at 4:31 a.m. Before she died, Cara made the selfless decision to donate her organs. At this very moment, she is saving lives,” the post said.

[SMGFan]

R.I.P.

[GeorgiaDawg32]

A very pretty girl, gone far too early.

RIP

[VTenigma]

Damn shame

[Outrance]

So young! She seemed very nice. She responded to me on the station’s Facebook page about local events and was very humble and nice. She will be missed.

[trisham]

So sad. Rest in peace.

[Toespi]

My husband is a heart transplant recipient, (six years out). Very special prayers for her and her family. It is hard to express the humbling gratitude one feels for the donors and their families. What she and family is giving is beyond words.

[Mozilla]

Sad
R.I.P.

[from occupied ga]

what a waste.

[wyowolf]

What a tragedy but its better than being left a vegetable I guess, i would never want to “live” like that... she had massive brain trauma... ALWAYS wear a seat belt!

My grandfather had something similar happen many years ago, a simple accident that he would have easily survived if he was belted in...

[wideawake]

No seatbelt - a tiny little detail that could have saved this beautiful young lady's life.

Remember this sad story as a useful warning.

[JPG]

RIP

[Robert DeLong]

McCollum, 24, of Margate, was driving her 2014 Ford Mustang convertible north on Route 55 in Pittsgrove Township, Salem County, shortly before 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 15 when she lost control of her vehicle, drove off the right side of the road and struck several trees, according to Sgt. Jeff Flynn of the New Jersey State Police. An icy mix of snow and rain may have been a factor in the accident. She was not wearing a seat belt, and the driver-side airbag deployed, he said.

Tragic. Cars like that are not good to drive in inclement weather. I know, my corvette does not do well, even in rain.

[mplsconservative]

Yep. Always buckle up. Seatbelts are there for a reason. I can’t believe she wasn’t wearing one. You’d think for a 24 year old it would be second nature. My kiddo is 19 and he always uses a seatbelt and drives a Mustang convertible so this chills me to the bone.

RIP to the young lady. Her family must be devastated. I can’t imagine the pain they feel. :(

[nascarnation]

Good lesson for everyone here: McCollum — who wasn't wearing a seatbelt — was believed to have been driving too fast on the rain-slicked roadway when the crash occurred. Her car spun off the right side of the road and struck a number of trees before coming to rest at the bottom of an embankment.

[Obama_Is_Sabotaging_America]

GOTTA WEAR A SEAT BELT, DAMMIT.

Although a seat belt can cause grief if one is side-swiped, it will surely increase your odds of survival and keep you situated for the airbag burst in a head-on collision .. with a tree or maybe three trees.

[silverleaf]

tragic loss

young people, please wear seat belts

[FroggyTheGremlim]

My car - 2009 Ford Escape - makes a horrible alarm ring if I don’t connect the seatbelt/

[vladimir998]

She was not wearing a seat belt.

How sad. This was entirely avoidable. Poor woman. Her family must be heartbroken.

[ETL]

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

How incredibly sad! RIP.