{"id":324355,"date":"2026-08-18T21:22:10","date_gmt":"2026-08-18T21:22:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/324355\/"},"modified":"2026-08-18T21:22:10","modified_gmt":"2026-08-18T21:22:10","slug":"woman-shot-in-staten-island-murder-suicide-had-high-hopes-for-sons-future-family-recalls","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/324355\/","title":{"rendered":"Woman shot in Staten Island murder-suicide had high hopes for son\u2019s future, family recalls"},"content":{"rendered":"

Just days before Dana Marie Foley was shot in a Staten Island apparent murder-suicide<\/a>, she discussed her hopes for her 10-year-old son\u2019s future at a family party, relatives say.<\/p>\n

Foley, 39, was shot in the chest in her estranged ex-boyfriend\u2019s home on Garth Court near Corona Ave. in Richmondtown about 11:10 a.m. Aug. 13, leaving her son Lennon motherless.<\/p>\n

Four days earlier, her son was all she wanted to talk about.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had the most beautiful day and the most beautiful barbecue,\u201d said Foley\u2019s sister Nicole Foley of the Aug. 9 family gathering.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had a really beautiful conversation about what we all want for Lennon\u2019s future in regard to high school. I\u2019m just so grateful I had that conversation.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDana\u2019s pride and joy and first role in life is mother,\u201d she added. \u201cHer son was her life.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"DanaDana Marie Foley with her son, Lennon. (Courtesy of Family)<\/p>\n

Dana\u2019s ex Dakota Suckstorff, 27, was found in the home with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. A gun was recovered near him, according to authorities.<\/p>\n

Dana\u2019s family aren\u2019t sure what she was doing at his home and said she had not mentioned him resurfacing lately or expressed any fear of him. He was not Lennon\u2019s father.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe would have shared everything with me, or one of her few best friends, and I spoke to all of them, and no one had inklings,\u201d Nicole said. \u201cThey had a past relationship. It had been over for more than two years.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dana died at the scene. Medics rushed Suckstorff to Staten Island University Hospital North, where he died hours later.<\/p>\n

Dana lived with Lennon and her parents in the Sunnyside neighborhood of Staten Island.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m heartbroken,\u201d said Foley\u2019s mom, Joanne. \u201cI\u2019m trying to stay strong for Nicole and my husband but its hard sometimes. This is a mother\u2019s worst worst nightmare. Nobody should lose a child.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"PolicePolice investigate the shooting on Garth Court in Staten Island on Aug. 13. (Rose Abuin \/ New York Daily News)<\/p>\n

Joanne last saw her daughter the night before she was killed when Dana was leaving for work at Goodfellas Brick Oven Pizza, the popular eatery where she was general manager.<\/p>\n

\u201cI said \u2018Bye, I love you, be careful,\u2019\u201d Joanne recalled. \u201cShe said, \u2018Bye, I love you.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Goodfellas, where Dana had worked since she was a teenager, \u201cwas her second home<\/a>,\u201d Nicole said. \u201cThat was her second family, between the staff, her boss, and the customers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dana \u201chad the most infectious laugh,\u201d Nicole added. \u201cShe was my absolute best friend, the best friend that anyone can ask for, my protector.\u201d Despite being four years apart, \u201cwe were like twins.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe loved sports more than anything,\u201d Nicole said. \u201cWhen the Knicks won, that was a big deal,\u201d Nicole said. \u201cShe took Lennon to the parade and he got to touch the championship trophy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now Lennon is adrift.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s 10,\u201d Nicole said. \u201cShe\u2019s his world.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf Dana was cooking dinner, he was at the stove with her,\u201d she added. \u201cThe kid loves so much rock and roll because of my sister.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"DanaDana Marie Foley. (Courtesy of Family)<\/p>\n

Dana was \u201cthe funniest f\u2014king person and that\u2019s why Lennon has such a good sense of humor,\u201d Nicole said. \u201cThey would play pranks on each other.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dana\u2019s relationship with her son mirrored that with her own father.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy dad and my sister are very bonded,\u201d Nicole said. \u201cShe\u2019s very much the son he never had.\u201d<\/p>\n

As a teen, Dana played softball. Her father, Kevin Foley, a former college baseball player, was her first coach.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was a lot of fun,\u201d Kevin said, emotion straining his voice. \u201cShe would actually use my glove and she played the same position that I played growing up. She played third base, and it was something that made me very proud.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"PolicePolice investigate the shooting on Garth Court in Staten Island on Aug. 13. (Rose Abuin \/ New York Daily News)<\/p>\n

Dana passed her loved of sports on to Lennon, often taking him to matches as well as Broadway plays and cultural events around the city.<\/p>\n

The Sunday before Dana\u2019s death, she discussed her hopes for Lennon\u2019s future with Nicole and Lennon\u2019s father, whom she remained close to as they co-parented Lennon.<\/p>\n

Lennon \u201cis going to be able to achieve anything because he\u2019s just that brilliant,\u201d Nicole said. \u201cAnd he\u2019s also very empathetic, so not only with his intellect but also with his heart \u2014 and his heart is all Dana.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dana\u2019s best friend started a GoFundMe<\/a> to raise money to be put in a trust to support Lennon\u2019s future.<\/p>\n

As they reel from Dana\u2019s death, there are some things too painful to discuss.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat man. We don\u2019t say his name,\u201d Joanne said of her daughter\u2019s killer. \u201cHe ruined so many people\u2019s lives right now, so many people. First and foremost, being my grandson.\u201d<\/p>\n

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