Ed Piccola (right) passed away this weekA GoFundMe page has been established for Ed Piccola, New Jersey wrestling coach who was found dead Sunday in Virginia after disappearing nearly three weeks ago from his home state.
Donations to this fundraising page, originally set up to help with Piccola's search, will now be used to cover expenses for a memorial service to honor the 36-year-old coach.
Piccola's body was spotted by kayakers along the edge of the Shenandoah River in northwestern Virginia on Sunday afternoon after having disappeared from New Jersey on May 30. A positive identification of the body was made Tuesday.
Multiple news reports indicate that foul play was not suspected in Piccola's death and that the investigation into his cause of death was complete. One news source -- New Jersey Herald -- reported that an administrator of the Northern District of the Virginia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner stated cause of death was suicide.
Piccola had last been spotted on surveillance camera on May 31 at a Walmart in Luray, Va. -- about five hours from his home in New Jersey -- purchasing a 10-foot kayak, a life vest and various camping items. The kayak has yet to be found.
On June 3, Piccola's black Mazda was found submerged in water on a public boat ramp in Luray, located on the banks of the Shenandoah River. The area had experienced flash floods, with water levels rising more than 15 feet above normal, which hampered the search for the missing wrestling coach.
Piccola, described as a former "standout wrestler" at Sparta High School in New Jersey, had coached for more than a decade coached at the Buxton Athletic Training Center in Randolph, N.J., run by Jeff Buxton, long-time head wrestling coach at the nationally-ranked Blair Academy in New Jersey.
Ed Piccola's sister Holly -- who had been providing updates on her Facebook page on her brother's status the past three weeks -- had announced late Tuesday morning that his body had been found.
"Ed was loved by so many and that will bring my family and I something to hold onto in the difficult time," she wrote. "We ask that you please respect our privacy in this extremely difficult time. At some point we will plan a celebration of his life in NJ but for the moment we need to grieve his loss."
Individuals wishing to contribute to a fund for a memorial service to honor Ed Piccola may do so here.
The Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals. For more information, visit http://suicidepreventionlifeline.org or call 1-800-273-8255.
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