Eat Long Island Pizza On Wednesday To Support Babylon Crash Survivors

BABYLON, NY — Long Islanders can do a good deed on Wednesday by doing something they already love doing—eating pizza.

Long Island Pizza Strong has rallied 195 pizzerias across Long Island for its third fundraiser to benefit the victims of the fatal car crash that took the lives of two teenagers and seriously injured three others in West Babylon in September.

LI Pizza Strong will donate $5 for every pie sold on Oct. 23 to the families affected by the tragic car wreck.

Participating pizzerias can be found on the LI Pizza Strong website, sorted by county.

Since tragedy struck on Sept. 21, the community has mourned the loss of Riley Goot, 18, and Bella Trezza, 17, while Austin Trezza, Jack Murphy, 18, and Anthony Pagliuca, 16, were all hospitalized at local hospitals for treatment of serious injuries.

Riley was pronounced dead shortly after the crash at Good Samaritan University Hospital in West Islip, while the four other teens were hospitalized.

Bella spent four days on life support and passed away on Sept. 25. At the same time, Bella's death gave way to life as her organs were donated to three people in need.

Meanwhile, the other three boys and their families are navigating a long road to recovery.

LI Pizza Strong's first fundraiser raised $102K for the victims of the Farmingdale High School bus crash tragedy, which happened on Sept. 21, 2023, when the bus crashed and tumbled down a 50-foot ravine in Orange County.

LIPS organizer Alyssa Guidice said the third fundraiser was a no-brainer when the tragic Babylon crash happened "within 20 hours" to the day of the Farmingdale bus crash.

"We were destined to do it," Guidice told Patch.

Proceeds went to five pools among the bus crash victims: the students who were critically injured, non-critically injured students, the families of Gina Pellettiere and Bea Ferrari who were killed, and the school for marching band equipment, said Jim Serpico, one of the Long Island Pizza Strong organizers.

That tragedy led to $102,200 getting donated from 140 participating pizzerias.

In April of 2024, LI Pizza Strong hosted its second fundraiser the family of slain NYPD Jonathan Diller, and three pro-police charities.

That time around, $181,500 was raised for Diller's family and the charities.

Oyster Bay Supervisor Joseph Saladino gave LI Pizza Strong a proclamation in naming Oct. 25 Long Island Pizza Day, spurring the group to resume the one-day fundraising.