Friends of Belvidere junior Connor Barbaro started the #whiteforbabs hashtag on social media.
White will be the color of mourning Monday in Belvidere.
Connor Barbaro A social media hashtag urges students to wear white in honor of Belvidere High School junior Connor Barbaro, a popular 16-year-old student-athlete who died in an ATV crash Friday night.
"He always wanted to wear all white things for sports and just to wear around," said Matthew Gallagher, a friend of Barbaro's since childhood.
Everyone wear white on Monday for babs, he always wanted to wear all white for sports. #whiteforbabs
-- Matt Gallagher (@Matt2_gallagher) March 6, 2016
Gallagher started the hashtag #whiteforbabs on Twitter.
"I want Connor to look down at us and be happy that we're all doing something for him in his memory," Gallagher said.
Everyone meet in the gym tomorrow at 12:15 wearing white. #whiteforbabs
-- Traci Kieffer (@traci_marie7) March 6, 2016
Barbaro, a White Township resident who played soccer and basketball, died Friday after he drove an ATV onto Route 46 and was hit by a pickup truck, according to New Jersey State Police. He was not wearing a helmet and suffered what the Lehigh County Coroner said were severe head injuries.
A memorial was set up at the crash site Saturday, including balloons, flowers and a driving helmet with personalized notes written on it.
'Everyone knew Connor,' grieving students say
A GoFundMe account was also set up online: "In Memory of Connor Barbaro" had raised more than $3,000 in less than a day.
"He was a great, all-around wonderful young man who was loved by so many," the fundraiser's description reads. "His jokes and laughter never failed to brighten your day. Everyone who knew Connor liked him and wanted to be his friend. ... Connor will never be forgotten and truly left an impression on the Belvidere community."
Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @type2supernovak. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.