A 19-year-old EMT on Long Island has just died suddenly. According to officials, the young EMT died just after finishing her shift, though it is not yet clear from what her death stemmed. Her name was Susan Giovanniello. She returned to her Glen Cove home on Sunday morning after finishing an overnight shift, and then collapsed shortly after getting home.
Her fellow EMTs responded to the scene to try and rescue her after her collapse, yet they were unable to save her. Speaking about that, Veronica Brodnansky, a volunteer EMT and a colleague of Ms. Giovanniello’s, said, “Three of our members responded and then the rest of us went to the hospital and we were there until the end. It was very sudden and traumatic.” Susan Giovanniello’s sister is also a volunteer EMT in Glen Cove.
Following Ms. Giovanniello’s passing, bunting was hung from the front of the EMS station on Wednesday night for a wake in her honor, with her family and colleagues, both of which groups were devastated by her passing, paid their respects. In addition to the bunting, County Executive Bruce Blakeman ordered all of the county flags to be lowered to half staff.
The Glen Cove Mayor, Pamela Panzenbeck, spoke about the situation, saying, “No small hometown community ever expects anything like a tragedy such as this.”
Blakeman spoke about Ms. Giovanniello’s passing as well, saying, “To lose a 19-year-old who was such a great kid, it’s horrible for them and it’s horrible for us. It’s a tough day but we will make sure Susan gets the proper send-off as the hero that she was.”
NBC New York, adding a few more details, said:
What caused her death is under investigation, but the county has said she died in the line of duty.
Friends said Giovanniello began volunteering at 16 through the explorer’s program. Once she was old enough, she became an EMT, something she truly enjoyed doing.
“She was a wonderful EMT and she really loved what she did. And she lived to help people and she was really great at it,” said Brodnansky.
A charity site called “Fund the First” created a fundraiser for Ms. Giovanniello’s family, saying:
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On the morning of April 3rd 2023 The City of Glen Cove Volunteer Ambulance lost one of our best Emergency Medical Technicians. EMT Susan Giovanniello, 19 years old from Glen Cove NY. Susan was known by everyone as always having the brightest smile in the room. Susan always offered a hand to hold when her peers were having a bad day or even just to make them smile. She was an EMT at Glen Cove EMS for over one year. Before serving as a EMT she served in the Glen Cove EMS explorer post for a few years. Susan was secretary for the explorers. She was an amazing role model, co worker, and friend. She will forever be missed and never be forgotten.
Featured image credit: from Fund the First fundraiser page