Donnah's Fund

Ira and Sara Jane Drescher know first hand the pain of losing a loved one to domestic violence. Their daughter, Donnah, was brutally murdered by her husband on August 29th, 1995. Most people who knew Donnah and her husband Mark thought they were the perfect couple. Both were respected and successful members of their community. Mark was a nuclear engineer. Donnah was an operating room technician. In June 1995, they adopted their daughter Bailey. No one imagined what would happen three months later.

Mark called 911 and reported that his wife had been murdered. He told the police that he had caught an intruder attacking Donnah. He said that in trying to protect his wife, he shot and killed the man and that he was unable to save Donnah. At first, it seemed like an open and shut case. Four years later, the true story emerged. Mark had devised an elaborate plot to murder his wife, framing an innocent man. He took a loving daughter from the Dreschers, and a doting mother from young Bailey.

Sara Jane and Ira Drescher are left with memories of the happy times spent with their daughter and the violence that ended her life. Years would pass before they began to accept the reality that Donnah was a fatal victim of spousal abuse.

On August 29th, Ira and Sara Jane commemorated the 10th anniversary of Donnah’s brutal murder. To keep her memory alive, they have established Donnah’s Fund at Women In Distress.

The goal of Donnah’s Fund is to empower domestic violence victims to live safely and independently. It will help them establish safe households for themselves and their children, with support for housing payments and deposits, furnishings, and other related items.

“We feel confident that Donnah would be proud to have a fund in her name so women who have separated from their abusers can have the opportunity to make a new start in their lives.” – Sara Jane Drescher

For more information on Donnah's Fund, please contact Danay Pelaez at 954-332-3459 or dpelaez@womenindistress.org.

Donations can be mailed to:
Donnah's Fund
c/o Women In Distress
PO Box 676
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33302

Please make checks payable to Women In Distress-Donnah's Fund.

Or donate online now by clicking here.

Please type "Donnah's Fund" in the notation field to ensure your gift is properly directed.




Donnah's story was recently featured on 48-hours Mystery and is also featured in a book written by Gail A. Zimmerman.  Through the generosity of Ira and Sara Jane Drescher, you can have a copy of this book with a $10 donation to Donnah's Fund at Women In Distress. Read a review of the book

Read more from CBS - 48 Hours

Watch 48-hours Invitation to a Murder episode