Weeks after a car crash claimed the life of former Miss New Jersey Cara McCollum, a memorial service was held to celebrate her life.
McCollum, a South Jersey news anchor and former beauty queen died tragically after a car crash. The Princeton University grad was traveling north on Route 55 in Pittsgrove Township, Salem County on Feb. 15 when police say her car spun off the road and struck a tree head-on.
The 24-year-old died about a week later. Her funeral services were held in her hometown in Arkansas.
Saturday's memorial service and life celebration took place at 1:30 p.m. at Ocean City Tabernacle on Wesley Avenue in Ocean City, New Jersey. [[371777432, C]]
McCollum was the girlfriend of NBC10 anchor Keith Jones for nearly two years. He thanked everyone for "this tremendous outpouring of love and support for my sweet, beautiful everything, Cara," in a Facebook post.
"Sadly, Cara passed away this morning," wrote Keith. "We were with her in the operating room, and she died peacefully at 4:31am. Before she died, Cara made the selfless decision to donate her organs. At this very moment, she is saving lives." [[369659101, C]]
McCollum was known for her volunteer work, and started her own organization, the Birthday Book Project, as a high-school student in Arkansas in 2008. The project gives books to children and has donated more than 25,000 in Arkansas and New Jersey since its creation, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. [[369757201, C]]
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McCollum joined Millville-based SNJ Today to anchor its first-ever news broadcasts in July. She earned her bachelor’s degree in English with a certificate in journalism from Princeton University in 2015, and was valedictorian of the class of 2010 at Forrest City High School in Arkansas.
