Kara Lemanowicz was found unconscious at a sleepover with her teammates Friday night in Mantua Township.
VOORHEES TWP. -- Tuesday would have been Kara Lemanowicz's first day at Eastern Regional High School. However, her classmates, friends and teammates had to begin their school year without her, after she died at a sleepover last weekend.
Kara Lemanowicz, 14, of Voorhees, was discovered dead Saturday, Sept. 5, 2015 at a home on Barnsboro Road, in Mantua. Lemanowicz, a soccer player, was at a sleepover with fellow teammates. Officials believe she may have died from a possible medical condition. (Submitted Photo)Principal Robert Tull said the mood at the school Tuesday still had that feeling of first-day excitement, but there were many still coming to terms with the loss.
"We have some students that were familiar with her, especially the soccer team and classmates from the middle school," he said. "Any time that you experience the death of a young person ... it's tough."
Lemanowicz, 14, was at a sleepover with her teammates at a home on Barnsboro Road in Mantua Township Friday night and was discovered unconscious the following morning.
It is unclear what caused her death, although officials said it was possibly due to a medical condition. An autopsy was scheduled to take place Sunday, but no results were released since there was no foul play suspected.
The high school opened its doors Monday for any students who were having difficultly with the loss of their friend and classmate.
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Tull said guidance counsellors met with 38 students between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. The counsellors were also available to meet students on the first day of class on Tuesday.
Lemanowicz's soccer coach Jamie McGroarty said he spoke with a few kids Tuesday that were having a tough time. He was getting ready to meet with her teammates for first time as a group at practice Tuesday.
"Varisty had practice Monday night," he said. "But the kids most affected will be back today, and they're not looking forward to it."
McGroarty said he's heard some talk about ways the team is thinking about honoring Lemanowicz. Although they're somewhat limiedft by uniform rules, the team is coming up with small tokens of remembrance to show they are thinking of their teammate, including possibly changing all of their shoelaces to purple, her favorite color.
"I know we're going to have a banner posted at the field and present the family with a framed jersey," McGroarty said.
The community has already rallied behind Lemanowicz's family. A candlelight vigil was held at Giangiulio Turf Field in Voorhees on Saturday so the team could get together and remember their friend.
A GoFundMe page was also set up to help the family. By early Tuesday afternoon, the campaign had already raised nearly $40,000.
As Lemanowicz's family and friends prepare to pay their final respects, Tull said the school will be there give help to anyone who needs it.
"It was just the beginning of life for her here at the high school," he said. "As an Eastern family, we're going to rally around her family and teammates and try to give support through all of this."
McGroarty has coached the same group of girls since they were 4, and now, he has to help his team through the grief of losing a teammate all while dealing with it himself.
"There's no easy way to handle it. It's just going day-by-day," he said, and reminded his team "You just have to get your routine to normal, and things will slowly get back to normal. Don't forget, but she would would want them to move on."
Viewings will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. on Friday and 9:3- to 11 a.m. Saturday followed by a mass at St. Andrew the Apostle Church in Gibbsboro.
Alex Young may be reached at ayoung@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @AlexYoungSJT. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.