Atlantic City schools are coming together after the mother of two students was killed last week.
Yoriana Alonso-Guzman, 35, died last Wednesday, after she was struck by a car on the Black Horse Pike.
“Yury” leaves behind three children, including two who are students in Atlantic City.
“We want to have a district-wide fundraiser,” said Lakecia Hyman, principal at Texas Avenue School, where one of Alonso-Guzman’s children is in the third grade.
Her 3-year-old attends Brighton Avenue School, Hyman said.
"Any mother's loss is tragic," she said. "Now Dad has to be a full-time parent by himself.... He really struggled with how to tell the children their mother had died."
The Traumatic Loss Coalition came and talked to the class, she said.
“The tragedy really impacted the children,” Hyman said.
But, she notes, that’s not uncommon in the district.
“We have a lot of trauma in our school and our children really suffer a lot of trauma,” Hyman said.
So they’re hoping a community benefit not only will help Alonso-Guzman’s children but also others impacted.
“We are trying to be a hub for that,” she said. “I’m just really glad that the district is coming together to support our families in times of need.”
Anyone who wants to help can contact Hyman at Texas Avenue School, 609-343-7350, or Brighton Avenue School Principal Dorothy Bullock-Fernandes at 609-343-7260.
A GoFundMe page was also set up by Alonso-Guzman's employer, Hawkes Janitorial Contractors:
