The Family of Zeljko Begonja

Hello everyone. My name is Matt and I am starting a gofundme account on behalf of my brother-in-law Zeljko (Jake) Begonja, his wife Ana, and their son Ivan.

Two weeks ago Jake was admitted to the hospital and it was discovered that he had a rare form of liver cancer. While trying to create a plan of action to help Jake get better, his health got worse with every passing day. On the afternoon of Friday, May 5th, Jake passed away with his family by his side. His family is devastated and they need our help. The donations will be used to further Ivan’s education, which was always the most important thing to Jake and Ana.

For those of you who have known Jake, he has always been very proud to be living the American dream and worked extremely hard to make that dream a reality. Although a proud American, Jake’s true love was his Croatian heritage and his town of Privlaka on the Dalmatian coast. Most summers Jake and his family would travel back to Croatia to his town to vacation and show his family how he grew up. Together they created thousands of wonderful memories that they will cherish forever.

Jake was a proud member of Local 12 Insulators Union for 25 plus years and worked very hard to provide for his family. Jake’s wife Ana always took care of her family and no matter what, always has a smile on her face even in the toughest of times and her strength is admirable. Together they raised their son Ivan, who I am so proud to call my nephew, into a beautiful person. Ivan has the dream of pursuing a career in the medical field but with the passing of his father that could become very difficult. With the unexpected costs they are now facing in addition to trying to further Ivan’s education, Ana needs our help.

This has been a very traumatic experience for Ana and her family. That is why we are setting up this gofundme page to help alleviate some of the stress and financial burdens that she has to deal with in the coming months and years. Any amount you can contribute would be greatly appreciated and will go towards helping with expenses and help her son carry on with his education. All donations will go directly to Ana and Ivan. Thank you in advance for your generosity and kindness.