The following statement was given to YWN on Sunday night, upon the tragic passing of the Hatzolah medical Director, Dr Richard Friedman. As YWN reported, Dr. Friedman was tragically struck and killed by a vehicle as he was walking home from Shul on Motzei Shabbos in Lawrence NY.
Thousands attended his Levaya on Sunday in Boro Park at Bobov, and then at Yeshiva Darchei Torah in Far Rockaway. The Kevura was in Queens.
It is with deep regret and profound sadness that Chevra Hatzalah announces the tragic and untimely passing of Dr. Richard Friedman, our long-time Medical Director of over 30 years.
Founded almost 50 years ago, Chevra Hatzalah is the largest all-volunteer Ambulance Service in the United States, providing the highest-quality pre-hospital emergency medical treatment and transportation to all who need it, regardless of race, religion or ethnicity.
During his tenure, Dr. Friedman served as mentor and guide to thousands of EMT’s and Paramedics. He worked tirelessly to ensure that our responders were always at the forefront of emergency medicine best practices by leading countless classes on a wide range of topics, educating our responders on the latest tools and techniques, and delivering a rigorous quality control program through constant case review. Dr. Friedman always took the time out of his busy schedule to assist our volunteers when they sought his advice or needed his guidance.
As Medical Director for our organization, Dr. Friedman was pivotal in crafting policies and procedures followed by Hatzalah, as well as several other emergency medical agencies, related to equipment, medications, and protocols used by our responders.
In addition to his volunteer work with Hatzalah, Dr. Friedman was a well-known and well-regarded physician in New York City, working as a general surgeon for the past 20 years.
Dr. Friedman is survived by his wife Cheryl and their eight children.
He will forever be in our hearts and we will honor his memory by continuing the life-saving mission to which he dedicated so much of his life.
As it says in the Talmud “…anyone who saves a life is as if he saved an entire world.” Through his tireless dedication and devotion to saving lives, Dr. Friedman has truly saved an entire world, and his impact will be felt for many years to come.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
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One Response
Oih. Bde.
It’s 24 hours since the petira of Dr Richard Friedman Z”L. I’m still in tremendous pain. I just can’t get over this. It’s to painful. He was such a baal chesed in every sense of the word. He was a special person who we will miss greatly but never forget. He is irreplaceable
May hashem bestow on his father who should live and be well until 120 and Dr Richard Friedman wife, kids and all of klal Yisroel comfort and may we only know of simchas. Hashem we need moshiach. We need tichias Hamesim. We need Dr Friedman back.
May the light of chanukah shine upon us and may we all see the miracles of chanukah this year. May the family see miracles from chanukah and see only only yeshous forever and ever
Dr Richard we will miss you. It’s hard for us to understand, believe, comprehend what’s going on. We need to hold tight and strong in our beliefs that hashem is doing the best for us. Eventhough it seems like it makes no sense.
Dr go to hashem and be malitz yosher and bet that we should see the gelua very soon.
Your smile and most of all you will be greatly missed.