Madelyn Rose Montanaro, 6, of Hazlet died on Saturday, January 14th as a result of a fire at her home.

She was born in New Brunswick and lived in Hazlet. She attended the Miles of Smiles Pre-School, Kindergarten at Sycamore Drive School and was currently a first grade student at Middle Road School, Hazlet.

Mady was a spunky, quick-witted girl who could light up a room with her smile. She loved to spend time with her big sister Elena. She enjoyed playing soccer,  tic tac toe and putting on dress up shows to entertain her family.

She was predeceased by her mom Jacqueline Montanaro who died hours earlier on Saturday January 14th from the house fire attempting to save Madelyn.

Surviving is her dad, William Montanaro; her sister and best friend, Elena; grandparents Debra and Joseph Autera, Raffaele and Linda Montanaro, Fred and Jenny Shubert; great grandmother, Dolores Pinelli; her aunt Marisa Autera, her fiancé Timothy Kinsey; uncles Anthony Autera, Jason Shubert and his wife Jessy,  Domenico Montanaro and his fiancee, Courtney Norris; her aunt Crissy Ciacco and her husband, Daniel Ciaccio and many cousins.

Visitation will be Wednesday and Thursday, January 18th and 19th 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Holmdel Funeral Home, 26 S. Holmdel Road, Holmdel. Mass of Christian Burial, Friday, January 20th, 10 a.m., St. Benedict’s RC Church, 165 Bethany Rd, Holmdel, NJ 07733. Entombment will follow at Holmdel Mausoleum, Holmdel.

To share a message of condolence or a favorite memory please visit Mady and Jackie’s page of tributes at www.holmdelfuneralhome.com. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Raine Foundation.

A Message from Will Montanaro:

All,

First, our entire family would like to say thank you to the first responders for their tireless efforts, the nurses and hospital staff for their care and understanding, and our Hazlet neighbors and broader Jersey Shore community for rallying by our side in this extraordinarily difficult and painful time.

Jackie was a devoted Customs and Border Protection officer, and we thank her colleagues and the agency for their ongoing support and love. They have been boundless in their efforts for us, even as they grieve for their friend.

Words cannot express the overall gratitude and outpouring of support for myself and Elena. We are humbled.

I am heartbroken. I have lost the love of my life – my beautiful wife, Jackie – and my sweet, loving, spunky little girl, Madelyn.

Jackie was a hero.

When I rushed back into the house for Madelyn, I became enveloped in a massive amount of thick, hot black smoke. Without hesitation, Jackie then charged in with a mother’s love and the courage of a police officer fueling her attempt to save our daughter.

I am now focused on getting my daughter the support and help she’s going to need, so we can rebuild our lives together.

A search continues for our beloved dog, Duchess. Thank you to our neighbors and the scores of people, the Hazlet Police Department and surrounding communities’ law enforcement who have been, and continue to, press to find her.

At this point in time, I please ask that you respect our privacy. I need to lay my family to rest and put 100% of my attention on my daughter, Elena.

With all my love,

William Montanaro