MONTAGUE — Family and friends will gather for a celebration of life on April 20 for Montague resident Garrett Giustina, who was killed in a single-vehicle crash along Turners Falls Road earlier this month.

Giustina, 22, and formerly of South Hadley, died after crashing his car into a tree on Turners Falls Road on March 13. He was the vehicle’s sole occupant and his death was deemed accidental, according to the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office.

Giustina lived with his mother, Micki Giustina, on Laurel Lane. She described Garrett as her “world” and “everything and more that a parent could ask for.”

“I could not be prouder of him,” Giustina said in a phone interview. “Boy, he surpassed everything that I ever imagined him to be. Just his character and his kindness.”

Garrett Giustina was a graduate of South Hadley High School, where a scholarship was created in his name after his death. In his adulthood, he spent much of his time installing fences for Westfield’s ASignature Fence Co., where he worked for more than two years. He “loved his job and his work family,” his mother shared on Facebook.

According to Laura-Lee Arena, co-owner of the company, the feeling was mutual.

“The consistent theme that I see is him being really the voice of positivity for everybody,” Arena said, noting that in addition to being a “very hard worker,” Garrett Giustina had “contagious joy” and an “infectious laugh” that led to work being fun for himself and others.

“He was just the type of person where no matter how many negatives … he would just be the positive voice,” Arena said.

In his free time, he was passionate about racing dirt bikes, Arena said. He would attend freestyle events in Maine and camp with his friends on weekends, she recalled.

“He would say those were the best days of his life,” Arena noted.

According to Micki Giustina, Garrett “understood that a lot of family was not blood” and valued his friends tremendously.

“He was just very big on loving and he loved very, very hard,” said Kevin Tran, Garrett’s best friend.

Tran recalled having a difficult time adjusting to a new life, having just moved to South Hadley, when he met Garrett Giustina. He said Giustina was the first person who approached him and spoke to him at his new elementary school.

“We just immediately clicked,” Tran remembered.

Tran most admired Giustina for always being ready to defend his loved ones.

“His loyalty was just super unmatched,” he said, adding that Giustina also was simply a lot of fun.

“Every time I was with him just felt like a party,” he said. “He was always happy, smiling and laughing. He was always making me laugh when nobody else could.”

Other friends took to Facebook to pay tribute to Giustina following his death.

“Words can’t even describe how heartbroken I am,” Alanna LoMascolo posted. “Although I didn’t know you long, I can honestly say you were the kindest soul to ever walk this Earth.”

“May you rest in peace, my friend, and forever and always be in our hearts,” wrote Andy Slack, whose detailed pencil drawing of Giustina was included in the post.

One showing of friendship that profoundly touched Micki Giustina came from someone who had never met her son in person. She was at her son’s funeral, held last week at Fiske-Murphy & Mack Funeral Home in Orange, when a man she didn’t recognize approached her and introduced himself as a friend her son had made playing video games online. He explained he had flown in from Michigan to pay his respects.

“I really have never seen a more amazing group of kids,” Micki Giustina said of her son’s friends.

Giustina’s celebration of life will be held April 20, at 5 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus at 250 Westfield Road in Holyoke. Guests are asked to bring a long-stemmed rose with a fond memory written on a red heart tied to the stem. The flowers will be joined in a vase as a gift to Micki Giustina.

There is also an online fundraiser accepting donations to help support memorial costs and the scholarship created at South Hadley High School. As of Monday morning, nearly $6,000 has been raised toward the $15,000 goal. Those interested in donating can do so at bit.ly/3KaukVZ.

Reach Julian Mendoza at 413-930-4231 or jmendoza@recorder.com.

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