Sister Jane Gerety, President of Salve Regina, sent this email to the Salve community late Tuesday night confirming a death on campus Monday.
TO: The University Community
FROM: Sister Jane Gerety, President
RE: Situation at McKillop Library
DATE: July 26, 2016
I would like to take a moment to reflect on a situation that took place at McKillop Library yesterday, and offer my praise to several members of our campus community.
Often I have commented that the Salve Regina community is at its best when the world seems to be at its worst. This was the case once again, when several of our employees found themselves faced with a difficult and tragic situation.
While walking on the Cliff Walk, a local couple, who happen to be graduates of Salve Regina, were feeling a bit out of sorts due to the heat. They entered the library to seek relief and to use the facilities. After several minutes it became clear that the male had taken a bit longer than anticipated. When he was unresponsive to his wife’s knock on the door, library staff reached out to security to intervene. Despite the best efforts of our security officers and EMTs, the gentleman could not be revived and he was pronounced dead at Newport Hospital.
Words cannot convey the levels of emotion felt during this incident. Our hearts go out to this couple and we pray for their family. As an academic community we rarely foresee these situations, yet as a campus community that provides public access to one of the most scenic tourist destinations in the country, we are prepared.
The work-study students and staff in the Library are to be commended for their actions and quick thinking. Additionally, our security team and EMTs arrived swiftly to the scene and did their best to save a life. It is never easy to deal with tragedy and I am grateful for the professionalism, caring and compassion that was displayed in this situation.
Thank you Bethany Blycker-Koll, Stephanie Menders, Courtney Schramm, Shift Supervisor/EMT Nicholas Maltais, Officer/EMT Deborah Tetrault, Officer/EMT Robert Church and Assistant Director of Safety and Security Richard Piaseczynski, your actions represent what I love most about our Salve Regina community.
Sister Jane
