For the friends and family members of Dan Zolotorofe, remembering the Mahwah graduate’s legacy is an important part of the healing process.

When Dan, who was a 20-year-old junior at the University of Maryland, passed away suddenly in November, his friends were looking for a way to immortalize his memory, and fight against the disease that ultimately took his life.

According to friends and family, Dan was diagnosed with Type 1 Juvenile Diabetes when he was 10 years old. During his senior year of high school at MHS, Dan was also diagnosed with Addisons disease and Hashimotos Disease, which affected his adreynal system and thyroid, respectively. Though he faced medical challenges throughout his life, those closest to Dan said his disposition never faltered.

“Everybody knew Dan, and liked him,” Dan’s best friend, Jordan Kaplan, told Patch. “He was the kind of kid who would go up to somebody who was sitting alone in the lunchroom and tell him to sit with us. Everybody says they do stuff like that, but Dan actually did.”

This past October, while at school in Maryland, Dan went into cardiac arrest after suffering a Diabetic Ketoacidosis, which caused his potassium levels to rise and his blood pressure to drop. He was transported to a Maryland hospital, and died several days later, with his family members by his side.

“After Dan died, we were sitting Shiva, and I just knew that Dan couldn’t go away. We needed a way to make sure that he would be remembered here forever,” Kaplan, who said he’d been friends with Dan since nursery school, said. The two boys attended Mahwah schools together, and both graduated from MHS in 2009.

In the days after Dan’s death, Kaplan and another family friend, Nick Kulik, founded the “DZ Foundation,” which they say has two goals – to keep Dan’s memory alive, and to raise money to fight juvenile diabetes. A portion of the funds raised by the foundation, which is pending 501(c)3 non-profit status, will go to an annual scholarship for a Mahwah High grad, and the rest will be donated to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

According to Kaplan, the scholarship will offer $500 to a Mahwah senior who displays great leadership skills. “Dan was a leader. We wanted to make this a scholarship that he would apply for, one that Dan would have won,” he said. Kaplan said the Foundation has so far set aside enough money to give away the scholarship for the next five years, and hopes to continue it indefinitely.

The Foundation’s plan is to donate the rest of the money raised to a JDRF grant fund in Dan’s name. “I’m hoping that losing my friend wlll help save other people’s lives,” Kaplan said.

The DZ Foundation is run by Kaplan, Kulik, and Dan’s two sisters, Jessica and Allison. In just about seven weeks of existence, they have raised about $13,000 in Dan’s honor.

“I am so proud of what the kids are doing,” David Zolotorofe, Dan’s dad, said. “My wife and I really step back and let them do it. I think it’s good for them, and helps them deal with losing Dan.”

For the Zolotorofe family, David says the Foundation is helpful, as they continue to live without Dan. “We’re sad every single moment, but talking about him helps. And starting this bigger conversation with everyone in the community helps.”

This Sunday, the Foundation is expanding the conversation. DZ is hosting its first annual 3-on-3 basketball tournament in Dan’s honor. Dan played basketball throughout school, “and we thought it would be the right way to remember him,” Kaplan said. The venue for the game, Mahwah High School, is also important. “The high school was one of Dan’s favorite places, he was senior class president our senior year.”

On Sunday, spectators can watch 3-on-3 games while snacking on foods that were donated by 10 local sponsors and bidding on silent auction items. The basketball tournament will have one ultimate winner, who will take home a prize. But, the real prize will be all of the money the foundation hopes to collect from the event. Admission to watch is $3 per person, and $25 per person to play. As of Tuesday, the game had nearly 30 teams signed up to compete, and over 170 confirmed guests on its Facebook page.

“I think it’ll be nice if this can become like a community day, something everybody goes to,” Kaplan said.

“I’m not exactly sure what to expect Sunday,” David added. “But I know Dan touched the lives of a lot of people while he was here, so I don’t think the turnout is going to be too shabby.”

Kaplan said a limited number of teams can be added to the tournament, and “as many guests as possible” are invited to attend the event. Here are the details, from Kaplan:

Event: The 1st Annual DZ Foundation 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament - In loving memory of Dan Zolotorofe 

Location: Mahwah High School Gymnasium (50 Ridge Road Mahwah, NJ 07430)

Date: Sunday, January 15, 2012

Event Start Time: 11 a.m.

Event End Time: 6 p.m. (estimated)

Foundation Website: DZFoundation.com

Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/TheDZFoundation

The Mission: Raise money and awareness for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation in the form of a research grant. As well as, an annual leadership scholarship in Dan's name to one graduating senior at Mahwah High School further enrolled in a four year institution. Dan was enrolled at the University of Maryland - College Park as a Junior before he passed. He was extremely well known around this area and as a true testament to his life, had about 900 people at his funeral in early November 2011.