Jianna Pischetola GoFundMe: Family launches fundraiser as 22-year-old musician killed in Staten Island expressway crash

On Sunday, September 3, Jianna Pischetola and Gabriella Shammas died in a car accident on the Staten Island Expressway. The victims, both 22 years old, were declared dead at the scene after Pischetola's 2023 Chevrolet Corvette collided with a guardrail, leading to a fiery crash.

In the aftermath of the tragedy, Pischetola's sibling started a GoFundMe page to help her family with finances. The initiative has raised over $52,000, exceeding its $50,000 goal.

Trigger warning: This article concerns a fatal accident, the reader's discretion is advised

According to the New York Daily News, Jianna Pischetola was a Staten Island-based musician. Gabriella Shammas, on the other hand, was a Brooklyn resident and recent college graduate. At the time of their deaths, they were reportedly heading eastbound on the expressway towards Brooklyn.

---

Family and friends mourn Jianna Pischetola and Gabriella Shammas

According to the GoFundMe page set up by the Pischetola family, Jianna Pischetola was known as a vibrant, friendly woman with a passion for music and writing. Diandra Pischetola, the victim's sister, said that she was a confident person who was unafraid to take risks.

In an interview with SL Live, members of the family told reporters that the victim harbored aspirations of becoming a rapper, businesswoman, and fashion model.

Under the pseudonym JiJi, Jianna Pischetola recently released her debut single, Girls Will Be Girls. The victim's mother, Jacqueline Pischetola, celebrated the life of the deceased, noting how the car accident cut short a promising future.

“There was nothing she couldn’t do — she was smart as a whip."

Diandra Pischetola also commented on her sister's death.

“She was the leader, we listened to her. She was the strong one who believed in God so much. She was the best, she really was — she was an artist and she loved her music. My heart is shattered. My soul is broken.”

In addition to her aspirations in the music industry, 22-year-old Pischetola also helped run a business called First Class Help. The organization reportedly aimed to teach financial literacy to people from marginalized or underprivileged backgrounds.

Gabriella Shammas, on the other hand, was similarly described as having a positive and vibrant personality. Sara Diangelis, the mother of Gabriella Shammas' boyfriend, said that the deceased was planning to get engaged with her son, Anthony Diangelis.

“She’s been in my life for a long time. She started out being my daughter’s best friend. My daughter’s lifetime sister, best friend. And then, my son and her fell in love. So she’s been in my life for many, many years," Sara said in a statement to NY Daily News.

As previously reported by Sportskeeda, Shammas' family also started a GoFundMe to help with the funeral costs for the victim. The GoFundMe page raised over $84,955, surpassing its goal of raising $50,000.