Online fundraiser created for late Bucknell student's family, fraternity

Apr. 9—LEWISBURG — An online fundraiser has been created for the family and friends of a Bucknell University student who died on campus on March 30.

The fundraiser on GoFundMe.com on behalf of Christian Samay "will cover funeral costs, pay for memorials inside and outside of the Phi Gamma Delta house, and fund future events dedicated to him so that his memory will live on forever," according to the fundraiser page. "Christian's family also asks that we donate the remaining proceeds to the Wounded Warrior Project."

As of Tuesday, 774 donors raised $63,070 toward an original goal of $25,000.

Union County Coroner Dominick Adamo previously said Monday he would not be releasing the cause or manner of Samay's death out of respect for his family. The circumstances of Samay's death are not suspicious, according to officials.

Samay, 22, was scheduled to graduate this spring from Bucknell where he was majoring in Political Science and minoring in Legal Studies. He graduated from Mountain Lakes High School in New Jersey in 2020, according to his obituary.

"He played to win and won often as a young lacrosse player in Mountain Lakes and club soccer team starter that earned the #1 ranking in the state, top 10 status in the country, and first-time champions representing the USA U18 team in the Barcelona Summer Cup," according to his obituary. "He was the consummate team player, a loyal teammate, a dominant and talented physical force, and captain of his high school soccer team for two years. He loved his childhood in Mountain Lakes and his closest K-12 friends and families that he still adores today from above."

A funeral was held on April 6 in Mountain Lakes, N.J.