When I first read about Holly Hol Zungali passing away, it honestly hit me in the heart. While she was 42 years old at the time of her death on November 27, 2025, she left this world while being surrounded by her family. I don’t really know her personally. From reading about her, though, it seems she was that kind of person who made everything around her warm and lively.
She was the mother of Jackson Thorne, who plays as a linebacker at the University of Richmond. If you know college football even a little, you can tell how hard it must be for him and his brother right now.
Holly attended Pittsford Mendon High School and later studied at George Mason University in Virginia. She had been a talent acquisition expert for several years. I have never worked in that field, but from what I read, she really knew how to find the right people for the right jobs. She spent more than fifteen years becoming really good at this. The operations even included technical recruiting and fine-tuning systems for some companies’ hiring processes.
She was a principal force at StratasCorp, where her team was ably trained to tackle the most difficult hiring problems. People said she always tried to build genuine, long-term working relationships rather than just filling positions quickly. That sounds like the kind of person who actually cares about people, not just work numbers.
In 2024, she launched her own company, HJH Recruiting. I would always admire someone taking such a risk by starting their own business, as it’s never easy to start something new.
Holly came into this world on 5 December 1983, in Rochester, New York, and lived nearby. Her parents are Chris Haefner and Diane Relyea. Her father’s name is Jan Haefner, who has already passed away. The closeness of her family makes me think of my own mother, who always does her best for us.
Those who wrote about her said that she was a bright soul who laughed easily. She liked simple things such as long walks, working out, laughing with her friends, and cheering for her sons when they played football. That part felt very real to me because my own mom shouts my name the same way whenever I play in a match. I felt that connection.
She also loved cooking and whipping up sweet treats for her family. Honestly, that reminded me of when my mom makes snacks during exam nights.
Life had not been easy for Holly, as for many years she suffered from several health problems. Yet every day, she woke with courage and hope. I like people like that because they remind you that life can be tough, but moving on is still possible.
Besides fashion, new ideas, and traveling, she enjoyed visiting the Outer Banks, which meant a lot to her and her family.
Her memory will live on in her husband, Michael Zungali, and her sons, Jackson Thorne and Logan Zungali. She is also survived by her parents and her siblings, Melissa Emerson, Kit Haefner, Jake Purcell, and Cody Haefner. She had many relatives and even more close friends who are currently experiencing a massive gap in their lives.
One of her closest friends, Stephen Bilko, started a GoFundMe to help the family during the coming days. All the money will go directly to her husband, Michael, for their family. Another one, Kym Gully, shared about how she’s always caring, kind, and ready to help. Read such comments, and you even feel how many lives she touched.
The family will arrange for a Northern Virginia memorial service early in the winter as a tribute to her life.
She will always remain within everyone who knew her, with her love and her strength. Even people like me who only read about her, shall find that she was someone special.
In case you did not know, her son Jackson came to the Richmond Spiders with a strong background. He came from Independence High School, and is about 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighs about 236 pounds. He is a tough player, but losing a mother is something no strength can hide. You may also be interested in: Green Forest Coach Marc McCutcheon Passed Away After A Long Fight With Health Problems
