Announcement of 2019 National EMS Weekend of Honor and Honorees

Washington, D.C. (April 6, 2019) – The National EMS Memorial Service (NEMSMS), the National EMS Memorial Foundation and the National EMS Memorial Bike Ride (NEMSMBR) will pay tribute to twenty-six EMS fallen from across the United States during the 2019 National EMS Weekend of Honor, scheduled May 17-19 at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center located at 201 Waterfront St., Oxon Hill, MD 20745. The list of honorees from thirteen states can be found on the NEMSMS website via the following link:
2019 NEMSMS Honorees

There will be several activities during the three days including two events that the public and media are invited and encouraged to attend as a show of support for the selfless service and sacrifice of the twenty-six 2019 honorees. On Friday afternoon, May 17, 2019 the arrival and tribute ceremony of the National EMS Memorial Bike Ride will occur. The riders will be arriving at the National Harbor Plaza. Then on Saturday evening, May 18, 2019 the National EMS Memorial Service, a formal ceremony to honor fallen EMS and air medical professionals will be held at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center.

The NEMSMS’ annual Line-of-Duty Death Seminar will be held on Friday, May 17, 2019, from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. and is open to all who serve in EMS, Air Medical, Fire Service, or Law Enforcement and is offered at no cost to participants. Chaplains and other support personnel are also invited to participate. Registration is required and can be completed by clicking the following button:
LODD Seminar Registration

The National EMS Weekend of Honor coincides with the beginning of National EMS Week, which will be May 19-25. Jana Williams, president of the National EMS Memorial Service shared her thoughts on the Service, “We are honored to commemorate the 26 first responders who have made the Ultimate Sacrifice in the service to others. As we prepare for this year’s Weekend of Honor, we will not only pay the respects of this great nation for their brave and selfless service but also show our support to their loved ones who have been left behind.”

On November 3, 2018, the President of the United States signed Public Law 115-275 to enable the National EMS Memorial Foundation to build a permanent EMS memorial in the Nation’s Capital. Ms. Williams commended the bi-partisan support and credits their colleagues at the Foundation saying, “This was accomplished after years of hard work and commitment by the Foundation that resulted in the passage of H. R. 1037 and S. 1692 by unanimous consent.

We applaud our partners at the National EMS Memorial Foundation on this extraordinary accomplishment and continue to support them as they work tirelessly to bring this project closer to reality.”

The Weekend of Honor is organized and hosted by the following volunteer-staffed organizations: National EMS Memorial Bike Ride, National EMS Memorial, and the National EMS Memorial Foundation. See http://www.national-ems-memorial.org/ for more information on the specific event times and locations as they become available.

The National EMS Memorial Service 2019 Honorees

The National EMS Memorial Service (NEMSMS), the National EMS Memorial Foundation (NEMSMF), and the National EMS Memorial Bike Ride (NEMSMBR) remember and honor emergency medical services personnel who have died in the line of duty and recognizes the ultimate sacrifice our Nation’s fallen EMS have made for their fellow man in the Greater Washington DC area in May annually.

The NEMSMS, the NEMSMF, and the NEMSMBR will pay tribute to EMS fallen during 2019 National EMS Weekend of Honor, scheduled May 17-19 at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center located at 201 Waterfront St., Oxon Hill, MD 20745.

It is with great honor that the National EMS Memorial Service announces the 2019 Honorees:

Carroll Whalin, Miller Funeral Home Ambulance, January 13, 1961, Ambulance Crash, Texas

Cecil Brownlee, Miller Funeral Home Ambulance, January 13, 1961, Ambulance Crash, Texas

Larry Oberle, Sr., Alpha Fire Co Community Ambulance, August 1, 1971, Pennsylvania

Walter Nelson, FDNY, May 2, 2014, New York

Tim McClanahan, Lewes Fire Department, July 11, 2016, Delaware

Michael Guttenberg, FDNY, October 17, 2017, New York

Mousa Chaban, Tri-County Ambulance Service, January 22, 2018, Indiana

Joeddy Friszell, FDNY, March 5, 2018, New York

Steven Werner, Paramount Ambulance, April 27, 2018, Iowa

Gregory L. Rosenthal, Ascension Wisconsin Spirit Medical Transport, April 27, 2018, Wisconsin

Rico Caruso, Ascension Wisconsin Spirit Medical Transport, April 27, 2018, Wisconsin

Garry John, American Medical Response, February 13, 2018, Nevada

Klint Mitchell, Ascension Wisconsin Spirit Medical Transport, April 27, 2018, Wisconsin

Matthew Adams, UnityPoint Health-Meriter, May 20, 2018, Wisconsin

Patrica Osburn, North Beach Fire and Rescue, May 26, 2018, Maryland

Felipe Torre, FDNY, October 10, 2018, New York

Robert Reeder, Crozer-Chester Medical Center, October 20, 2018, Pennsylvania

Jennifer Cross, Portsmouth Emergency Ambulance Service, October 26, 2018, Ohio

Chris Iverson, Bismarck Air Medical, November 18, 2018, North Dakota

Todd Lasky, Bismarck Air Medical, November 18, 2018, North Dakota

Bonnie Cook, Bismarck Air Medical, November 18, 2018, North Dakota

Martha Stewart, FDNY, November 18, 2018, New York

Joseph Rodriguez, FDNY, November 23, 2018, New York

Nicole VanHeel, Gold Cross Ambulance, November 25, 2018, Minnesota

Zachary Pruitt, Medical Center EMS, November 30, 2018, Tennessee

Felipe Huerta, Jr., Hidalgo County EMS, December 16, 2018, Texas

2018 National EMS Memorial Service Honoree Robert Vetter

Robert Vetter, 62, died of an apparent heart attack on May 27, 2017, within a few hours of making multiple emergency calls involving stressful and strenuous activities during a very busy shift.

“Remember me when I am gone away, Gone far away into the silent land; When you can no more hold me by the hand, Nor I half turn to go yet turning stay. Remember me when no more day by day You tell me of our future that you planned: Only remember me; you understand. It will be late to counsel then or pray. Yet if you should forget me for a while And afterward remember, do not grieve: For if the darkness and corruption leave. A vestige of the thoughts that once I had, Better by far you should forget and smile Than that you should remember and be sad.”

\— Remember, Christina Rossetti (1830 – 1894)

2018 National EMS Memorial Service Honoree Lahiri Garcia

Lahiri Garcia, 51, of Jupiter, died alongside his partner, Paul Besaw, when their ambulance crashed on Indiantown Road, just west of Military Trail on June 1, 2017.

Witnesses said the crash occurred when a car made a U-turn, hitting the ambulance as it was returning to quarters from a transport mission.

Garcia was a 23-year veteran of EMS who was known by colleagues to always have a smile on his face. He was also known to be a knowledgeable and exemplary first responder.

2018 National EMS Memorial Service Honoree Paul Besaw

Paul Besaw, 36, of Weston, Florida, died in the line-of-duty when alongside his partner when their ambulance crashed on Indiantown Road, just west of Military Trail on June 1, 2017.

Witnesses said the ambulance crash occurred when a car made an illegal U-turn, hitting the ambulance that Paul and his partner, Lahiri Garci, were staffing. They had been returning to quarters from a transport mission.

Colleagues said that Paul was a model first responder. He was an 18-year veteran of EMS known for mentoring new medical technicians and would answer their questions and calls no matter the time of night.

Paul started volunteering at the hospital when he was in middle school — he knew he wanted to help people. When he turned 18, he became an Emergency Medical Technician and then later a paramedic. Paul was finishing his Bachelors of Nursing at the time of his death. He was a proud father and loving husband. He is missed dearly by his family and friends.

2018 National EMS Memorial Service Honoree Michael Murphy

Michael Murphy, 37, of Franklinville, New Jersey, died in the line-of-duty May 25, 2017, when his air medical helicopter crashed during a training exercise in New Castle, Delaware.

At the time of his death, Michael was awaiting the birth of his son, Jamey Michael, that he already referred to as his “baby boy.” His family described him as intensely driven and full of personality. He enjoyed flying, trucks, his boxer and making people laugh.

During his diverse 12-year career in aviation, he was known as a “tenacious professional” who worked tirelessly to achieve the best in himself and everyone he touched.

2018 National EMS Memorial Service Honoree Robin Dale Shaw

Robin Dale Shaw, 57, of Abilene, Texas, died in the line-of-duty April 28, 2017, when the air ambulance he piloted crashed shortly after takeoff. The crew was responding to a call to pick up a patient in Clovis, New Mexico.

Robin was a veteran of the United States Air Force and a Gold Seal Certified Flight Instructor. He was inducted into the 2013 Federal Aviation Administration Airmen Certification Database.

Robin’s first Emergency Medical Services job was at Rico Aviation. Robin was noted for his involvement and affection for the patient and the medical crews.

Family and coworkers said that he was like a father-figure to the crews, flying his “kids,” as he called them.

Robin was also involved in the training of new pilots and had a passion for building his own aircraft in his spare time.

2018 National EMS Memorial Service Honoree Mark Harris

Mark Harris, 55, died May 13, 2017, after he succumbed to a certified World Trade Center illness he sustained in the line-of-duty.

Mark developed cancer as a result of serving this Nation in response to the rescue and recovery of the thousands of Americans who fell at the World Trade Center in Manhattan, New York City, New York, Tuesday, September 11, 2001, after four coordinated terrorist attacks on the United States.

While stationed at Staten Island Station 23 the morning of September 11, 2001, Mark began hearing reports that a plane had struck the World Trade Center. He and his crew arrived in time to see the first tower fall. As he ran towards the destruction, he became trapped but was able to dig his way out.

He went on to spend hours that day rescuing and treating survivors and eventually took command of a triage station within the rubble.

In 2010, after 27 years with FDNY, Mark retired to Florida where he worked at Delray Medical Center as the EMS Liaison.

2018 National EMS Memorial Service Honoree Misty Dawn Nicholson

Misty Dawn Nicholson, 42, of, died in the line-of-duty April 28, 2017, alongside two of her colleagues when their air ambulance crashed shortly after takeoff from Amarillo, Texas. The crew was responding to a call to pick up a patient in Clovis, New Mexico.

Misty received her paramedic certification in 1995 from Amarillo College and her ADN from Excelsior College in 2006. She worked for Cook Children’s Hospital in Ft. Worth, OU Medical Center in Oklahoma City and then Lifeshare Transplant Donor Services of Oklahoma City.

It was at Lifeshare that Misty developed a passion for organ donation. She moved to Amarillo and worked for Northwest Texas Hospital and Rico Aviation.

Misty was passionate about anything in the medical field from teaching to taking care of her patients. She enjoyed being a flight paramedic. Misty enjoyed time with her daughter, London, and being at the family ranch surrounded by her family and friends.