Witness to GWB jump matches photo to missing ex-TCNJ assistant provost
The witness who reported a man had jumped from the George Washington Bridge on Tuesday told police he matched a photo of the former assistant provost at The College of New Jersey who went missing the same day, authorities said.
Though no body was found after a two-hour search and police consider Donohue's disappearance an open investigation, his family said Friday they presume he was killed in the fall.
Donohue, 50, had just retired July 1 from his position as a well-known member of TCNJ's administration with key leadership roles in multiple community outreach initiatives.
"I'm still in shock," said Greg Grant, former NBA star who had known Donohue for a decade. "He had just been like a brother to me. And he mobilized so many kids with his work at the Bonner center."
Donohue, who worked at TCNJ for nine years, served as the director of the Bonner Center for Civic and Community Engagement, a service and scholarship program.
Donohue was honored in May by Grant's Academy Sports Academy for his work with Trenton youth.
"He just lived, breathed and gave all his heart and soul to helping others, running programs and always trying to help,'' said his brother, Peter Donohue.
Patrick Donohue was instrumental in the opening last year of a TCNJ satellite office in downtown Trenton. The office at South Broad and State streets, offers open spaces for everything from classes, lectures, movie screenings and workspace.
"He wanted to be part of the solution,'' Peter Donohue. "That's just the kind of guy he was.''
The Rev. Toby Sanders, former president of the Trenton school board, said the news about Donohue disappearance is "devastating" to the Trenton community.
Sanders described Donohue as "a teacher who had his hands in the soil of the needs of the community."
Sanders said Donohue consistently brought a passion to his work to improve Trenton.
"Most of the time, people don't know what they mean when they use the word 'hero,'" Sanders said. "But Pat Donohue was a hero. And just like a hero, he would swoop in there right when you needed him most.''
Donohue also was instrumental in the creation of the Trenton Violence Reduction Strategy – a $1.1 million social services-based project bankrolled by the Attorney General's office.
The program is geared toward getting young people out of gang culture with job training programs and family assistance, said Trenton Police Detective Alexis Durlacher, who worked with Donohue to set up the program two years ago.
"Pat championed those who needed someone in their corner," said Durlacher.
Donohue also oversaw the Institute for Prison Teaching and Outreach, the Bonner VISTA Fellows program, the AmeriCorps programs, the TrentonWorks Initiative and the Trenton Prevention Policy Board initiative, according to TCNJ.
TCNJ President R. Barbara Gitenstein sent a campus-wide email to students and faculty Friday encouraging those in need of counseling to contact on-campus services for students in Eickhoff Hall 107.
Faculty needing assistance are encouraged to use the Employee Assistance Program in Forchina Hall 124.
"This will be very difficult for the many students, staff and faculty who worked closely with him and held him in such high regard," Gitenstein said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with his family."