Dr. Joy Saini was a dedicated Indian-origin doctor who recently lost her life following a tragic plane crash in Copake, New York, find out more about her and her husband, doctor and pilot Michael Groff
Dr. Saini was renowned for her compassion, expertise, as well as her contributions towards women’s health.
Karenna Groff, a former MIT soccer player who was named the 2022 NCAA Woman of the Year, was among six killed in a plane crash in upstate New York. The victims included Groff; her father, Dr. Michael Groff; her mother, Dr. Joy Saini; her brother, Jared Groff; Jared’s partner, Alexia Couyutas Duarte; and Karenna’s boyfriend, James Santoro and the flight also killed the assigned pilot of the plane, which was Dr. Groff’s private aircraft.
Groff was aboard a twin-engine Mitsubishi MU-2B aircraft, which crashed before Noon ET on Saturday in Copake, New York.
Who is pilot Dr Michael Groff, husband of Joy Saini who died in Copake, New York plane crash, bio, age, family, wife, daughter and college
Saini’s sudden death has left a deep void in the medical community, and she leaves behind a legacy of excellence and service.
Joy Saini Passes away
Dr. Joy Saini was a respected Indian-origin urogynecologist who tragically lost her life in a devastating plane crash. The tragic incident took place on April 12, 2025, in Copake, New York. Saini was out traveling with her husband, Dr. Michael Groff, and their two children, as well as their children’s partners, when the crash took place. Their twin-engine Mitsubishi MU-2B crashed into a muddy field near the Massachusetts border, claiming the lives of all the people on board.
Joy Saini cause of death
According to reports, the crash took place when the family was en route to a gathering in Columbia County. Joy’s husband was piloting the private aircraft before it crashed approximately 10 miles from its destination. Authorities have since reported that the plane was found heavily damaged and embedded in muddy terrain.
Joy Saini bio
Dr. Joy Saini was born and raised in Punjab, India, before immigrating to the United States with her parents, Kuljit and Gurdev Singh. She was in her early 50s at the time of her death, although her exact age is not publicly confirmed. Joy pursued a career in medicine and eventually rose to prominence in the field of urogynecology.
Education
Dr. Joy Saini obtained her medical degree from the University of Pittsburgh.
Profession and Career
Dr. Joy Saini was a renowned pelvic surgeon and the founder of Boston Pelvic Health and Wellness. Saini specialized in treating all kinds of complex urogynecological conditions besides earning a reputation for clinical excellence and compassionate care.
Husband and children
Joy Saini was married to her husband, Dr. Michael Groff, who was a distinguished neurosurgeon and passionate pilot. The couple first met each other at the University of Pittsburgh and eventually developed a deep bond personally and professionally. Together, the couple have three children: Karenna, Jared, and Anika Groff.
Dr. Michael Groff was a neurosurgeon and, the family statement noted, “an experienced pilot, who fell in love with flying after being taught by his father at the age of sixteen.”
A dedicated neurosurgeon, educator, and leader, Mike earned his medical degree from the University of Pittsburgh and completed his residency at Mount Sinai and following a spine fellowship at the Medical College of Wisconsin, he devoted his career to advancing spinal neurosurgery. He served as Division Chief of Neurosurgery Spine and Vice Chair of Neurosurgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital from 2011 to 2024 and was an Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School and in 2024, he became the Executive Medical Director of Neuroscience at Rochester Regional Health. He was in the process of completing his MBA at the MIT Sloan School of Management.
He served as Chair of the AANS/CNS Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves, led the Neurosurgery Research and Education Foundation (NREF) as Chair, and contributed to the JNS:Spine Editorial Board from 2016–2021, including as co-chair in 2021 and over his career, he authored more than 100 peer-reviewed.
His wife, Dr. Joy Saini was “an accomplished pelvic surgeon and the founder of Boston Pelvic Health and Wellness,” in Wellesley, Massachusetts.
Karenna’s boyfriend, James Santoro grew up in Tewksbury, New Jersey, and also graduated from MIT and was an Investment Associate at Silver Point Capital, and, according to the families, he was planning to propose to Karenna this summer.
Groff’s brother, Jared Groff, graduated from Swarthmore College in 2022 and was a paralegal at DW Partners in New York while his partner, Alexia Couyutas Duarte was a 2023 graduate of Swarthmore. She had just been accepted at Harvard Law School.
The entire family was celebrating a birthday and the Passover holiday in the Catskills.
Michael Groff, Joy Saini, Jared Groff and Karenna Groff are survived by the couple’s daughter, Anika, who was admitted into Swarthmore’s Class of 2029.
Karenna was a former MIT soccer star and biomedical engineering graduate who also passed away in the crash along with her boyfriend, James Santoro. Meanwhile, Jared was a Swarthmore College graduate and paralegal. He was also on board with his girlfriend, Alexia Couyutas Duarte, who both passed away. The couple’s youngest daughter, Anika, is the only living member of the family who was not on board the plane.