Jacob "Coby" St. Phard's family has started an effort to honor his name and benefit a charity he would have loved to help.
HAMILTON -- The death of Jacob J. "Coby" St. Phard, the high school soccer star killed by a train earlier this week in Hamilton, has been ruled a suicide, Mercer County officials said Thursday.
And the 18-year-old's family has created a GoFundMe page Thursday to raise money for a future effort that "will honor his 18 years."
Jacob J. 'Coby' St. Phard in this 2014 file photo. The teen was star soccer plater at Notre Dame High School in Lawrence and had committed to play at Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, Pa. next year.
The East Windsor resident also played for East Brunswick Soccer Club's EB United team.
"We appreciate so much the outpouring of love that we have received from our family, friends, the Notre Dame Community and the community at large," the GoFundMe page, launched Thursday, says.
"Coby will be missed very much, but lets do something that would honor his 18 years and help him continue to make an impact on this world," it continues.
"Although at this moment, we don't know exactly where these funds will go, we wanted to give everyone who knew and loved him a chance to do something in his name.
The funds will likely go to a charity Coby would love to help, the page says. "Who knows, if we get enough, we may even establish a scholorship fund for soccer player in his name.
The page seeks $20,000 and had raised over $6,000 Thursday evening.
A service for St. Phard will be held Friday morning at Princeton Alliance Church in Plainsboro. A private funeral will be held at a later date through Barlow & Zimmer Funeral Home, Hightstown, his obituary says.
St. Phard's coach on the EB United, Julian Richens, has said: "He had the greatest personality, was the hardest worker on the team and was totally committed. I can't speak highly enough about him."
On Tuesday, the Notre Dame basketball team played St. Joseph's in Metuchen and both schools sang "Amazing Grace" before the tipoff, led by the St. Joe's Music Ministry.
Notre Dame lost the game, and was knocked out of the state playoffs, but the school's Athletic Director Richard Roche said it was a first-class gesture from St. Joseph's, and the night was about more than sports.
"You are talking about a fellow Catholic School that believes in doing the right thing. The moment in the beginning touched my heart and brought me to tears." Roche told NJ Advance Media.
Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@kevintshea. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.