A retired high school coach and his wife are being remembered by those who knew and loved them after they were killed in a crash in Harrison Township on Saturday night.
Thomas Hengel, 72, and his wife, 61-year-old Lisa Hengel, both of Mullica Hill, were killed after their SUV crashed into a house just after 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. The family inside the house was not injured.
“It’s just unfortunate what happened and its horrible for us,” said Mike Misuraco, a neighbor. “My kids and wife, to look across the street and see two empty homes right now, when yesterday morning they were full of life. Now, both lots sit empty.”
Thomas Hengel was a coach at Clearview High School from 1981 until his retirement in 2025, according to Suburban Family Magazine. He also worked as a teacher for 33 years at the school and continued coaching in a volunteer role after his retirement.
Hengal was known for coaching the cross country team and coached more than 100 seasons of various sports for the local high school. He was also inducted into the Gloucester County Sports Hall of Fame in 2018.
Former students and players of Coach Hengel have taken to social media to express what he meant to them.
“He pushed me,” said Tyler Galtman, a senior at Clearview High School. “He would always say, ‘Get out strong and hold on,’ and just like motivate you, even if you didn’t motivate yourself. He just believed in everybody really.”
The Clearview School District also put out an in memoriam statement on Monday, saying, in part, “As a 33-year educator and over 40-year coach, Tom exemplified what it means to serve students beyond the classroom. Anyone who knew Tom knows his dedication to his former students and his past/current student-athletes. He lived a disciplined life, always focusing on doing things the ‘right way’, and passed those values onto his students and athletes. Those valuable life lessons, including perseverance, mental toughness, personal accountability, and the importance of character, will always remain with those he taught and coached.”
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