I guess there is a reason for certain laws, despite how ridiculous they may seem. Case and point comes to us from upstate New York, where a family was recently traveling to see Monday’s solar eclipse.
A 58-year-old pediatrician and her family were traveling from their Long Island home to Cape Vincent, a town just south of the Canadian border that was in the path of totality for the eclipse.
Today is the day! For those hoping to observe the Total Solar Eclipse, here is a look at the expected sky cover for 3pm. While high level clouds will be increasing this afternoon, some of them will be thin, so the eclipse may still be viewable, especially for eastern areas (1/2) pic.twitter.com/kpVwnOcz6z
— NWS Albany (@NWSAlbany) April 8, 2024
The family was going to make a weekend of it. So, they packed a few bags and their new Airstream travel trailer and hit the road.
About 20 minutes from their destination, pediatrician and mother Monika Woronieckea and her daughter Helena decided to ride the last bit of the trip in the Airstream as opposed to the pickup truck her husband Robert was driving, according to the New York Post.
Riding in a trailer such as this is illegal in the state.
But as they neared the small community of Brownville, just north of Syracuse, tragedy stuck.
The accident report said, “Witnesses behind the Airstream claimed they saw the passenger’s side door of the Airstream open, Monika Woroniecka’s arm hanging on the door after the wind caused the door to swing open, causing her to be thrown from the Airstream.”
Monika was transported by Cape Vincent Ambulance to Samaritan Medical Center’s Emergency Room after hitting her head on the shoulder of the roadway. She died at the hospital from her injuries.
According to WWNY-TV, the highway being traveled at the time was temporarily closed, and an investigation began.
The Post described the late pediatrician as “well respected.” She had worked on Long Island, healing the sick and children for decades, and almost everyone she knew loved and respected her.
It’s a tragedy to be sure—and one that will remind us all to follow the rules a bit more closely.
