HOBOKEN – The body of Anthony Urena, a Lehman College student who was last seen on Nov. 14, was recovered from the Hudson River near Hoboken on Christmas Day, according to published reports this past week.
Three days after the 23-year-old’s disappearance, his mother Judith Lopez created a GoFundMe Page to raise money in efforts to hire a private investigator to seek answers in hopes of finding him.
Although the fundraiser was met with overwhelming feedback from the community, raising $3,000 over its $15,000 goal from over 400 people, the discovery on Dec. 25 ended the family’s hopes of finding Urena alive.
“I still don’t believe it,” Lopez told DNAinfo this past Wednesday. “I’m still expecting him to walk through the door.”
The last time Urena was seen alive was Nov. 14 around 5 a.m. leaving the Cliff Lounge at 440 W. 202nd St. near Tenth Ave. in Inwood, media outlets report. He was the youngest of Lopez’ four children and was studying at Lehman College to become a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).
Additional information, including his cause of death, is still under investigation and not immediately available.
“God said that they need[ed] an angel up there and without my permission came down and took him away from me,” reads update by Lopez on the GoFundMe page from Dec. 31. She goes on to thank family, friends and the community for their support during this challenging time.
The funeral will be held Jan. 10 in New York. See the page for more information.