Two Fordham employees were killed in a car accident on the Bronx River Parkway along with five of their family members on April 29. Sisters Maria Gonzalez and Maria Nunez were custodial services workers and died when their van crashed through a guardrail and fell six-stories onto the grounds of the Bronx Zoo.

Also killed in the crash were the parents of Gonzalez and Nunez, Ana Julia Tejada and Jacobo Nunez; Maria Gonzalez’ daughter, Jaslyn Gonzalez and Maria Nunez’ daughters, Marlyn Rosario Nunez and Naily Rosario.

Fordham President Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., sent an email to the community on April 30 expressing his condolences to the deceased’s remaining family members. “No worse tragedy can befall a family, and words are simply inadequate to convey the grief their loved ones must feel today,” McShane said. “I offer, too, my direct and heartfelt condolences to the friends and coworkers of the victims who work and study here at Fordham.”

According to the University website, Fordham has established a fund to help the Gonzalez and Nunez families afford the funeral and burials. More information on how to donate can be found at www.fordham.edu.

McShane also detailed the funeral plans. There will be a wake at the Ortiz Funeral Home at 2121 Westchester Ave. in the Bronx from 4 to 9 p.m. on May 3, and the funeral Mass will be at St. Raymond’s Church at 1759 Castle Hill Ave. at 9:45 a.m. on May 4.

“If there was ever a time to show kindness and compassion for our brothers and sisters in the campus community, this is it,” McShane said. “I am confident that we will all evidence our genuine love and care for one another.”

Earlier this year, another car fell off the same stretch of highway, but there were no deaths in that accident. The Associated Press reported that that stretch was one of three sections of the Bronx River Parkway on the New York State Transportation Department’s 5 Percent List of areas of road that “exhibit the most severe highway safety needs.”

According to the Associated Press, the accident was New York City’s deadliest accident since 14 were killed when a tour bus driver crashed into a pole in March of 2011.