Dana Foley’s loved ones are raising funds for her young son after she was killed in a suspected murder-suicide on Staten Island.
Dana Foley, 39, was found with a fatal gunshot wound to the torso shortly after 11 a.m. Thursday inside a home on Garth Court, a quiet, tree-lined cul-de-sac in the borough’s Richmond neighborhood, authorities said. Her boyfriend, Dakota Suckstorff, 27, who lived in the home, was found shot in the head and later pronounced dead at the hospital, police said. A gun was recovered at the scene near Suckstorff’s hand, law enforcement sources said Monday.
Foley lived more than five miles away from the Garth Court home, residing in the Sunnyside neighborhood, according to the GoFundMe page organized by her friend Nicole DeMeo. The fundraiser was established to support Foley’s son, Lennon, in the wake of the tragedy.
“More than anything else in this world, Dana was Lennon’s mom,” DeMeo wrote on the GoFundMe page. “Lennon was her absolute pride and joy. Being his mother was the greatest purpose of her life and, without question, the thing she was most proud of. Everything Dana did, every plan she made, and every hope she had for the future centered around Lennon.”
DeMeo also fondly remembered Foley’s infectious spirit and the warmth she brought to those around her. “She had an incredible way of making people feel special, and her presence made people feel welcomed, remembered, loved, and cared for,” she wrote.
Foley’s father, Kevin Foley, grieved his daughter publicly in a heartbreaking Facebook post. “I’ll forever love you always and forever!” He wrote. “My Dana, my first born, my NY Giants partner, my LOVE! Rest now, Rest now. We shall meet again. Love you so much!”
Another friend, Christina DeClara, whose child played soccer with Foley’s son, said the two families had grown close through their children’s activities. “Dana was one of us,” DeClara wrote. “From soccer parties, to cheering for our boys on the sidelines, to carpooling–we are collectively devastated.”
The Original Goodfella’s Brick Oven Pizza, a local pizzeria where Foley worked, also paid tribute to her in a Facebook post. “Dana was deeply loved by all of us, and she will be missed more than words can express,” the post said. “She was a special part of our family, and we will always remember the kindness, warmth, and joy she brought into our lives.”
In the viral moment that preceded the outpouring of grief, Foley was discovered dead inside the Staten Island home she did not share with Suckstorff, raising questions about the circumstances that brought her to the residence. Police sources indicated the gun found near Suckstorff’s hand pointed to a murder-suicide, though investigators have not publicly disclosed a motive or detailed timeline of events leading to the shootings.
DeMeo noted on the fundraiser that Foley’s laugh “could fill a room… And then some,” capturing the vibrant personality that friends and coworkers said defined her. The GoFundMe campaign continues to accept donations for Lennon’s care as the community rallies around the boy left without a mother.