An online fundraiser is underway after a Korean American bar exam collapse on July 30, 2025 during the New York State Bar Examination at Hofstra University in Long Island, New York. According to a GoFundMe campaign launched on August 6, 2025, Mary Jane Jung of Seattle collapsed from cardiac arrest during the morning session.
The GoFundMe page states that fellow examinees asked proctors for help immediately after Mary Jane Jung collapsed, but the exam was not stopped, delaying access for medical personnel. Some accounts say medical staff did not reach her until the lunch break, while others say a public safety officer performed CPR and emergency responders entered 7 to 10 minutes later.
Mary Jane Jung was transported to a nearby hospital and has since regained consciousness. On August 11, 2025, she wrote on GoFundMe, “Thank you to everyone who prayed for me and donated. Thankfully, I am recovering and have received a defibrillator implant this afternoon. I have moderate memory loss but am hopeful that it will also get better.”
Campaign organizer Annette Lopez described her as a pillar who consistently supported classmates from the first semester of law school through bar preparation. She said, “Now, I hope we can be the pillar that lifts her back up.”
As of 3 p.m. on August 11, 2025, five days after the fundraiser launched, 672 donors had contributed $27,517, surpassing the $15,000 goal. Donations can be made via the GoFundMe campaign page. Mary Jane Jung graduated from Fordham University School of Law in 2025 and is an award-winning writer and former fashion designer.
BY YOONJAE JUNG [jung.yoonjae@koreadaily.com]
