One year ago, Marshall Saponaro passed away suddenly, at age 22. In memory of her son, Sandra Saponaro established a fundraiser to help protect Long Beach Island’s sand dunes, to which Marshall was always drawn.

“Marshall had autism and epilepsy and I raised him solely for 22 years,” Saponaro wrote in the introduction to the GoFundMe. “To say that I am devastated and lost is an understatement, as he is the love of my life. As many autism parents can attest to, I spent every waking moment advocating for his health and well-being.