Our son Ryan O’Donoghue, 19, passed away suddenly on April 13, 2020 due to an undetected genetic heart condition.  Ryan graduated from Freehold Township High School in NJ in 2019, where he played football and lacrosse.  He was a current freshman at Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ.

Even though Ryan was only 19 years old, he had an incredible impact on so many lives.  He was an outstanding young man who was kind, caring and a true friend to everyone he met.  He took so much joy from being with his family and friends.  Ryan would brighten up every room he walked into and had the ability to make everyone smile.  He was a true teammate both on and off the field.

School did not come easy for Ryan, but his strong work ethic and perseverance helped him to be successful in his classes.  Ryan knew how important education was and how many opportunities it would provide him in life. 

The goal of this fund is to provide scholarships to students who embody Ryan’s kindness, compassion, perseverance, and love of sports. In addition, we would like to sponsor families in need during the holiday season.  We have been able to help more than 15 local families in times of need and have awarded 12 scholarships in just the past three years. 

On Thursday, June 13, 2024, we will be holding our 4th Annual Ryan “OD” O’Donoghue Memorial Fund Golf Outing at Gambler Ridge Golf Club in Cream Ridge, NJ.  We are hoping to make this event a huge success and are relying on the generosity of establishments such as yours.