Judge's son remembered with ‘love’ one year after tragic death

“He’s a guardian angel you need, more than you know you need.”

That sentiment overhead at the Daniel Anderl Love is Light 5K summed up the event: Anderl is now a guardian angel.

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The son of U.S. District Judge Esther Salas, Anderl, 20, was killed at his family’s North Brunswick home on July 19, 2020. The attack occurred at the end of a birthday weekend celebration for Daniel.

Salas sits on the bench in the District of New Jersey, Newark.

Salas’ husband, Mark Anderl, who is a criminal defense attorney, was seriously injured in the attack carried out by Roy Den Hollander, who targeted the family because of his disdain for Salas and her role as a federal judge, according to reports.

The Daniel Anderl Love is Light 5K was held July 17 at North Brunswick Community Park to mark the one-year anniversary of his death. But the event, though marked by a moment of silence and many tears, was more focused on prayers, community togetherness – and love.

Gov. Phil Murphy joined the runners, as a New Jersey State Police helicopter flew over the starting line.

“There is amazing love in the North Brunswick community,” Lou Ann Benson, director of the North Brunswick Department of Parks, Recreation & Community Services, said before hundreds of runners lined up to begin the race.

“The day was magical and reflective of the love that was shared by all who traveled so far in memory Daniel. Danny”s life will forever remain in our hearts,” Benson said.

Citing the Bible verse, “There is no greater love than this: that a person would lay down his life for the sake of his friends,” the Rev. Robert G. Lynam, pastor of St. Augustine of Canterbury Roman Catholic Church, Kendall Park, said the community “gathered here as one people” because “love is light.”

Bill Boyajian of BEST Racing Systems said 1,122 people signed up for the in-person 5K, while 112 signed up to participate virtually.

According to the mobile check-in app, 705 checked in on race day to run the 5K, though it is believed the number is much higher, he said.

According to race results, 724 people finished the 5K. The standings are listed on the results tab at https://runsignup.com/Race/NJ/NorthBrunswickCommunityParkNorthBrunswick/InauguralDanielLoveisLight5K

The event benefited the St. Joseph High School Daniel Anderl ’18 Memorial Scholarship Fund. Anderl graduated from the Metuchen private school in 2018.

The church bells were set to ring from 5-6 p.m. July 17 in Anderl’s honor.

An investigation into the murder has shown Hollander was targeting a dozen other female judges, including U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor.

Gov. Phil Murphy signed legislation known as Daniel’s Law into law. The law protects the home addresses and telephone numbers of judges, prosecutors and law enforcement officers from public disclosure.

Daniel’s Law amends the New Jersey Open Public Records Act (OPRA) to exclude from the definition of a government (i.e., public) record the portion of any document which discloses the home address of any active or retired judge, prosecutor or law enforcement officer.

Further, the law prohibits government agencies, individuals and businesses from knowingly publishing on the internet, or otherwise making available, the home address or unpublished home telephone number of any active or retired judge or any active or retired prosecutor, according to the statement.

Daniel’s Law also enables any active or retired judge, prosecutor or law enforcement officer whose home address or unpublished telephone number is disclosed on the internet or otherwise made available to the public, or whose immediate family member’s name, home address, or unpublished phone number is disclosed on the internet or otherwise made available to the public, to request that the information be removed.

For more information about the Love is Light 5K, visit https://runsignup.com/Race/Info/NJ/NorthBrunswickCommunityParkNorthBrunswick/InauguralDanielLoveisLight5K

Or, to donate to the scholarship fund, visit https://alumni.stjoes.org/g/daniel-anderl-18-memorial-fund

Contact Jennifer Amato at jamato@newspapermediagroup.com