Barbecue in N.B. will benefit Epilepsy Foundation
Family to honor the lateMichael Meehan on Saturday
BY JENNIFER AMATO Staff Writer

Michael Meehan

NORTH BRUNSWICK - For the third year in a row, the Meehan family is raising funds to benefit the Epilepsy Foundation of New Jersey.

Their efforts are in memory of Michael Meehan, a 26-year-old North Brunswick and Kendall Park resident who was involved in a fatal motor vehicle accident in which his car rearended a tractor-trailer on Route 1 in February 2006. Michael had epilepsy since childhood, and so his parents and brother Kevin, a 24-yearold volunteer firefighter in North Brunswick, have decided each year since the accident to hold a fundraising event in his honor.

"It feels good, because this shows a respect toward family and friends as well as Mike. It feels good every year doing this because it's out of respect for a good person … and we want to help a cause.Words can't even describe it," Kevin said.

This year the family, along with Michael's friends, will host a barbecue at Fire Company No. 3 on Cozzens Lane in North Brunswick from 2 to about 10 p.m. on Saturday, June 14, the day before Michael's birthday. The event is open to the public and costs $10 at the door, and there will be food, drinks, a horseshoe tournament, a beer pong tournament and door prizes.

In previous years, the Meehans raised over $12,000 in support of the Michael Meehan Emergency Medication Fund through the Epilepsy Foundation. Because Michael was on medication to prevent seizures, which can be very expensive, his parents decided to help other people with the disease who cannot afford their prescriptions.

"Some people who came last year were affected by epilepsy, and they wanted to do more to support the cause or didn't know how," Kevin said.

Yet despite raising money to help others, Kevin said the event is a time of togetherness

where everyone can reflect on Michael's life. He described his brother as a New York Yankees and Giants fan who spent the majority of his days watching ESPN and a majority of his nights going out to clubs. Kevin said he had a good sense of style, working for both Kenneth Cole at the Menlo Park Mall and for Cablevision in Piscataway while trying to earn a degree from DeVry University. He said he was very family- and friend-oriented.

"Time goes by and the only thing you can do is reflect and look at old pictures and watch old movies," Kevin said. "I'm excited about seeing people I haven't seen in a while. It's good to raise money, but it's also good to reflect."

For more information, call Kevin at 732-266-4321.

Donations may be mailed to the Epilepsy Foundation of New Jersey, Attn: Michael Meehan Fund, 429 Riverview Plaza, Trenton, NJ 08611. Kevin said his family appreciates all the support of people and businesses that have made donations in the past.