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In life, Bella Trezza was heralded as a “ray of bright sunshine.” In death, she is being hailed as a hero.
The 17-year-old high school senior from Babylon who died last night, nearly five days after sustaining grave injuries in a West Babylon car crash that has rocked the community, will donate her organs to save the lives of others in need, announced LiveOnNY, an organization dedicated to promoting organ and tissue donation.
Trezza’s family has made the decision to give the “gift of life,” ensuring that her legacy continues through those who receive her organs, the organization said in its announcement.
Trezza, who was a senior at St. John the Baptist High School in West Islip, had been on life support at Good Samaritan University Hospital in West Islip since the early morning Saturday accident, which also claimed the life of her friend, Riley Goot, 18. Her injuries included brain trauma, the loss of her spleen and many fractures.
LiveOnNY is working with Trezza’s family to honor her wishes.
“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. LiveOnNY is humbled to be the stewards of Bella’s gifts of life,” LiveOnNY President and CEO Leonard Achan said in a statement. “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.”
The accident occurred when a vehicle allegedly ran a red light, colliding with the car carrying Trezza, who was driving, and her brother, Austin Trezza, who remains hospitalized with serious injuries. Two other passengers in the car with the Trezzas, Jack Murphy, 18, of Babylon, and Anthony Pagliuca, 16, of West Babylon, remain hospitalized with serious injuries.
Michael Desmond, 33, of Lindenhurst, who was driving the other car, died at the scene.
