Kriti Mehrotra
When 22-year-old Jenna Nicole Burleigh suddenly went missing on August 31, 2017, it honestly left not only her loved ones but also the entire state of Pennsylvania baffled to its very core. That’s because, as explored in Hulu’s ‘Death in the Dorms 2: Jenna Burleigh,’ this Souderton Area High School turned Montgomery County Community College graduate was just starting out in life. She was actually a junior attending Temple University for a Bachelor’s in film and media studies, which her family has since revealed was due to her aspirations of becoming a filmmaker one day.
Who is Jenna Burleigh’s Family?
It was back when Jacqueline Zazyczny was just a college-aged girl when she first came across Joseph Edward Burleigh, only for them to soon fall head over heels in love. They tied the knot in the early 1990s just to welcome their first daughter Janelle into the world within a year, and after two more years, they welcomed Jenna into their lives. They even had two more kids, sons Jeb and Jacob as the years passed by and eventually settled down in Harleysville to raise them together. Little did they know their efforts would soon prove love, care, respect, as well as understanding are all kids need as their brood truly grew up into kind people.
In fact, Jenna in particular devoted a lot of her time combatting racism, homelessness, and sexism, as well as defending the rights for the LGBTQ+ community. She loved being creative, directing new skits, and getting involved in aspects related to media, but she prioritized social justice in her personal life more, which is why she even used to make blessing bags for the homeless. She essentially used to ask her friends and family to donate old clothes, blankets, tents, toiletries, hygiene products, etc., and she used to separate them into bags to hand them out to the homeless.
Though the one thing her parents remember the most about her is her beautiful laugh; she was funny as well as beautiful, and it breaks their hearts they can’t listen to it anymore. It arguably hurts Edward a bit more, though, since he was right by her side on the evening of August 30, 2017. The plan was to bring her home too since she didn’t have housing owing to the need for care from a prior foot injury, but she said she’d stay with a friend for the night as she had an early class. Little did they know she’d never end up with a friend.
Where is Jenna Burleigh’s Family Now?
Jenna’s family was utterly heartbroken to hear what’d transpired, and they struggled even more in the months between when her body was found and her trial. But alas, it was the ensuing time that made them feel hollow as they finally began registering and understanding their grief, along with the fact there really would be no real closure for them. That’s when Edward thought of doing something to ensure their daughter’s spirit continued to linger on, making him launch Jenna’s Blessing Bags as a foundation. In other words, while continuing to reside in Harleysville, Pennsylvania, they’re now focusing entirely on their remaining family plus this foundation, making sure to keep their lost daughter alive in their hearts.
Read More: Jenna Burleigh’s Murder: How Did Joshua Hupperterz Die?
