Gift of Life
Claire Rossi had a generous spirit, and her heartfelt nature truly shone through in her actions. One of her most significant gifts was saving her grandfather’s life on Long Island.
Rossi became Carlos Reilly’s “angel” when her family made the decision to donate her late grandmother’s liver to him.
Riley, clearly emotional at the headquarters of the nonprofit organization Liveon NY in Long Island City, Queens, expressed gratitude, saying, “What she did, she didn’t know me, she just did that to save a life.” He was surrounded by Rossi’s family, including her husband, who is 55 years old.
“I wouldn’t be here without her,” Riley remarked.
Describing Rossi, who was 70 at the time, he said, “She was like my angel. Just saying that, she was my angel. She saved my life by combining it with a doctor.”
Rossi, a resident of Queens before moving to Long Island, was known for her love of cooking and showering her family with Italian food, especially during the holiday season. She wasn’t just about gifts; donating clothes to those in need was also her way of showing love.
Despite not being an organ donor on paper, Rossi’s family felt strongly about giving “her last gift” after she passed away in February 2024.
Riley was fortunate enough to receive her liver on the 29th of that month. “This was her last gift and I couldn’t be more proud of her,” her daughter, Annalisa Rossi, shared.
“I know she’s smiling, and I know she’s happy,” she continued.
Before the surgery, Riley had received daunting news from doctors, telling him that without a donor, he could face serious health issues in just a few months. “One day the doctor told me, ‘You drank too much.’ They said if I had no donor, I would die in a few months,” he recalled.
Then came the call: “They told me, ‘We have liver for you.’ …I knew nothing, I still live and have the opportunity to live longer.” After the procedure, Rossi’s family sent Riley a thoughtful letter, asking how he was doing and expressing a desire to meet someday. They corresponded for months, unsure of what the future held.
After hearing that his blood tests were good and his new liver was “perfect,” Riley joked, “Now, I’m not surprised, it’s the Italian liver.”
Riley feels immense gratitude, but Rossi’s family expresses that they have much to be thankful for as well. “I just want to say thank you because it helped her keep her grandma’s name alive. It helps her live,” said her granddaughter, Alyssa Morales, 33.
“It was like keeping her spirit alive and making it a little easier knowing that she saved someone else’s life,” she added.
Joseph Rossi, Claire’s husband, although missing her deeply, conveyed his feelings to Riley, saying, “I’m glad she saved my life.”
