Girls recalled as special Two members of FTHS senior class killed in motor vehicle accident

Girls recalled as special
Two members of FTHS
senior class killed in
motor vehicle accident

VERONICA YANKOWSKI Friends left heartfelt messages at the site on Farmingdale Road, Jackson, where two Freehold Township High School seniors were killed in a Nov. 12 car accident.

FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP — The Freehold Township High School community is mourning the loss of two members of the senior class who were killed in a car accident on Nov. 12.

At 1:38 p.m. a single-vehicle accident on Farmingdale Road in neighboring Jackson Township took the lives of two Howell residents who attended the high school.

Angelina Daisy Quiles, 17, was the driver of the Nissan Altima, and Amanda Kim Soo Pasternak, 18, was the passenger, when the car, traveling east on Farmingdale Road, apparently skidded out of control and off the road into a patch of trees, according to the Jackson Police Department’s preliminary investigation. The vehicle then burst into flames.

As of Monday, Jackson Police Sgt. John Kovak said the investigation was continuing as authorities awaited results from tests and continued to gather evidence and information.

VERONICA YANKOWSKI Stephanie Stein, 16, and Cynthia Bonitz, 16, read messages left at the spot on Farmingdale Road, Jackson, where two members of the Freehold Township High School senior class died in a car accident on Nov. 12.

Angelina was born in Edison and settled in Howell three years ago, according to information provided by the Lakewood Funeral Home, Howell, which handled the arrangements. She was a manager of the Patriots’ wrestling team and photography editor for the student newspaper.

In an letter to Greater Media Newspapers, Kimberly Zipp, a friend of Angelina’s, said photography was her friend’s passion.

"As long as I knew her, she always had a camera with her, in school and out," Kimberly said, adding that Angelina worked for a local department store’s portrait studio. "We never really exchanged gifts, but the one gift that I will cherish forever is a picture Angelina gave me for my birthday of her and me."

Angelina and Kimberly met in Spanish class, and a friendship grew from there.

Kimberly said Angelina was a great person.

"She always made everyone around her a better and happier person," she said. "As long as I knew Angelina, she never said anything bad about anyone. Everyone always referred to her as ‘Angel.’ That she was, that she was."

Surviving Angelina are her mother, Alice Rivera of Howell; her father, Joe Quiles of Sunrise, Fla.; her sister, Sabrina, also of Howell; her maternal grandparents William and Alicia Rivera of Piscataway; her paternal grandmother, Marina Roman of Perth Amboy; and her maternal great-grandparents, Secundio and Consuelo Gonzalez of New York.

Amanda was born in Seoul, Korea. She was adopted by William and Carol Pasternak and brought to the United States when she was 3 years old. The family moved to Howell in 1989, according to information provided by C.H.T. Clayton and Son Funeral Home, Howell, which handled her arrangements.

Amanda was involved with Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA), which is a marketing club, as well as drama at Freehold Township High School.

Outside of school, Pasternak enjoyed working with children and practicing karate. She worked at Against All Odds in the Freehold Raceway Mall.

Surviving family along with her parents are a sister and brother in law, Jennifer and Kevin Zeran of Howell; a brother, Jeffrey, of Atlanta; a brother and sister-in-law, Marc and Jennifer Pasternak, also of Howell; a nephew, Zachary Zeran, of Howell; and maternal grandparents Elmer and Florence Deakyne of Toms River.

Angelina and Amanda were both involved in the Freehold Township co-op marketing program, in which students leave school early to go to a job. The program is supervised and the students receive grades on their work.

High school guidance counselor Dana Karas said the school will run a bereavement group for students after the Thanksgiving break. Karas said details were not finalized, but said the program would probably run for about a month. Karas will run the group with Kathy Andrejco, Lori Rotz and Jackie Thomas.

Students have been visiting their guidance counselors for individual counseling since the accident. A memorial service was held at the school and the students left flowers, cards and other remembrances for the girls.