Bella Trezza Saves 3 Lives With Organ Donation After Babylon Car Crash

BABYLON, NY — Bella Trezza, the 17-year-old who was one of two teens who died after a tragic West Babylon car crash, has saved three lives just a day after her passing and her family's announcement that her organs would be donated, LiveOnNY announced Thursday.

The teen died Thursday after days on life support following the crash that killed two people immediately, including an 18-year-old, and hospitalized four other teens, including Bella.

In a statement, LiveOnNY president and CEO Leonard Achan said: “LiveOnNY can now confirm that following an honor walk at Good Samaritan University Hospital for Bella Trezza, where she was surrounded by family and friends, Bella’s gifts of life — her kidneys and liver — were recovered.

"LiveOnNY teams logistically managed Bella’s gifts of life for safe transport overnight to three recipients in New York City, Maryland, and Massachusetts. Two women in their 30s received her kidneys and a man in his 60s received her liver, all saved by Bella’s act of grace and her family’s decision to say yes to donation.

"These three recipients and Bella will now Live On. LiveOnNY is humbled to be the stewards of Bella’s precious gifts of life. We extend our deepest condolences to Bella’s family, friends, loved ones and the community. Our thoughts and prayers are with them, as well as the other passengers involved.”

He added: "Bella’s family has graciously made the decision to give the gift of life to others on the transplant wait list so that they and Bella may Live On. At this moment, LiveOnNY is working with the medical and transplant community to ensure that the wishes of Bella’s family are honored. LiveOnNY is humbled to be the stewards of Bella’s precious gifts of life. We extend our deepest condolences to Bella’s family, friends, loved ones and the community. Our thoughts and prayers are with them as well as the other passengers involved."

At around 1 a.m. on September 21, the driver of a Kia sedan ran through a red light heading eastbound on Railroad Avenue and hit a 2025 Kia Seltos traveling southbound on Great East Neck Road that contained Bella and her four teenage passengers, Suffolk County police said.

The sedan's driver, Michael Desmond, 33, of Lindenhurst was pronounced dead on the scene while Riley Goot, 18, of Babylon, a passenger of Bella's, was pronounced dead shortly after at Good Samaritan University Hospital in West Islip, police said.

The four surviving teens, Bella, her brother, Austin, 18, Jack Murphy, 18, all of Babylon, and Anthony Pagliuca, 16, of West Babylon, were all hospitalized at local hospitals for treatment of serious injuries.

According to her family's GoFundMe, Bella was on life support after suffering severe brain trauma, losing her spleen and a "tremendous amount of blood" in the crash.

According to the fundraiser, Bella picked up her brother and friends from a party and was driving them home when the car was sideswiped and "thrown into a pile of destruction."

Shortly after, emergency medical services were on the scene, including the West Babylon Volunteer Fire Department crew who found one of their own, Austin, a member of the fire department since 2023.

Bella, Austin, and Jack were transported to Good Samaritan University Hospital in West Islip, while Anthony was transported to South Shore University Hospital in Bay Shore, officials said.

A vigil was held Sunday evening at Pape Field in West Babylon; a second prayer vigil was later held.

Riley's funeral took place on Wednesday at Claude R. Boyd-Spencer Funeral Home in Babylon.