Family mourns death of 16-year-old in Calverton crash, launches fundraiser for funeral costs

The family of the teen who died in a car accident on Sound Avenue Saturday night has started a GoFundMe campaign to help cover his funeral expenses.

Ostin Portillo Perdomo, a 16-year-old Riverhead High School student, died Saturday night in a single-car crash on Sound Avenue near Horton Avenue in Calverton. See prior story. 

Born in El Salvador, Ostin emigrated to the United States when he was 7 years old along with his mother and younger sister. His mother was seeking to give them a better life and the opportunity to study and build a future in this country, his aunt, Amarilis Herrera explained. He adjusted easily to his new home in Riverhead, where he lived with his parents, Sofía and Marvin, and two younger siblings aged 7 and 3. He had turned 16 on Aug. 20, had just started high school and was about to start his first job, Herrera said. But on Saturday night, his life was tragically cut short when the car he was driving crashed into a tree on Sound Avenue, less than 10 minutes from his home.

Home surveillance cameras captured him leaving the house at 9:15pm, Herrera said. Seven minutes later, the young man was no longer alive. 

“It happened so fast, we still can’t believe it,” Herrera said. 

“When they called us to tell us, I couldn’t believe it until I arrived at the hospital and saw him,” Herrera recounted. “We’re in shock. You see him and you can’t believe it. It’s very hard for the whole family,” she said.

“He was a very well-behaved child,” his aunt recalled. “He was very attached to his little siblings. He would take care of them, feed them when his parents were work.”  He helped around the house a lot, she said.

On Saturday morning, hours before the accident, Ostin had been helping his father with repairs around the house.

“He was the closest to his dad,” added Herrera. “He would help him with everything.” 

In school, where he had just begun high school and maintained good grades, Ostin was known for his cheerful personality and for making those around him laugh. 

“He was very funny. He always made us smile, and that’s what we’ll miss the most,” said a classmate, who asked to remain anonymous. 

Since his death, nearly all his classmates and school friends have approached the family to offer condolences, said his aunt. “He had many friends. He was very sociable, someone who always made friends,” Herrera affirmed. 

A soccer lover, Ostin spent his weekends playing and was a passionate fan of FC Barcelona. He also enjoyed going to the movies and spending time at the beach. His dreams were ambitious: he aspired to become either a professional soccer player or a lawyer, his aunt remembered. 

Ostin attended a Christian church in Shirley and, according to his aunt, was in a period of personal renewal. “He had just begun seeking the things of God,” Herrera said with a broken voice. “Just two days before, he told me he was already on the path of God.” 

“We are destroyed,” Herrera said. “Marvin, my brother, is shattered, his mother is devastated — he was very special to everyone.”  

Now, while the family faces this unimaginable tragedy, they also carry the overwhelming burden of funeral expenses. They have created a fundraising campaign on GoFundMe and are asking the community for help in this very difficult time. 

Any contribution, no matter how small, can ease the economic burden as they prepare to bid farewell to Ostin and honor his memory, Herrera said. 

Those who wish to support the family can donate via gofund.me/9436c3a0c. 

The family appreciates the outpouring of affection from friends and classmates and is deeply grateful for any help the community can provide.

The investigation into the accident continues under the direction of the Detective Squad of the Riverhead Police Department, in collaboration with the Accident Reconstruction Team of the New York State Police. Authorities are asking anyone who has information about the incident to contact (631) 727-4500, ext. 312.  

Ostin is survived by his parents, Sofía and Marvin, and his two younger siblings. 

Visitation for  Ostin will be held Friday, Oct. 3rd, from 3 to 8 p.m. at McLaughlin Heppner Funeral Home in Riverhead.  A funeral service will take place Saturday at 10 a.m. at the funeral home.  Burial will follow at Riverhead Cemetery.

This story was originally published by Tu Prensa Local.