Dr. Monika Woroniecka, a 58-year-old physician at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital tragically passed away on April 8th 2024 because of an unfortunate accident during a family trip. The incident occurred around 3 p.m. on State Route 12E in Watertown, when she fell from an Airstream trailer being towed by her husband in a pickup truck on their way to see the solar eclipse near the Canadian border. 

With only 20 minutes left of the car ride, Dr. Woroniecka and her family were excited for their vacation. Woroniecka decided to spend these last 20 minutes in their Airstream, along with some of her family members. Witnesses reported that the passenger door of the trailer swung open due to the wind, causing Woroniecka to fall as she tried to hold onto the door. (NBC New York) She was thrown from the trailer onto the highway and hit her head on the side of the road. The doctor was quickly rushed to Samaritan Medical Center but was pronounced dead upon arrival due to her injuries (TBR News Media).

Stony Brook Medicine expressed deep sadness over the loss of Dr. Woroniecka, acknowledging her as an amazing colleague and extended condolences to her family, friends, and colleagues.

Police are investigating the incident as an accident, focusing on how the door became unlatched during travel. According to New York State law, riding in a camper without a fifth wheel connection is illegal, as it does not provide a good connection to the vehicle’s frame. Unfortunately, the camper involved in the accident was connected with a ball hitch, which lacks this rigid connection.

Dr. Woroniecka had been practicing medicine for about 20 years, specializing in allergy-immunology. Her expertise was treating children with various allergies, asthma, and skin conditions. She was known for her dedication to developing long-term relationships with families and her proficiency in evaluating immunity disorders and frequent infections. Outside of her medical practice, she enjoyed traveling, hiking, exercising, and spending time with loved ones, according to her profile page on Stony Brook’s website (Patch).

The Stony Brook community mourns her loss, remembering her for her contributions to pediatric medicine and her compassionate approach to patient care.