'Selfless' Former Ambulance Chief, Wife Die In Motorcycle Crash

FLANDERS, NY — The East End community was rocked this weekend after a beloved member of the Flanders-Northampton Volunteer Ambulance Corps and his wife died in a motorcycle crash in New Hampshire. And adding to the tragedy, the family's patriarch died Monday — likely, friends said, of a broken heart.

George J. Worthington Jr., 61, and his wife Mary were in New Hampshire Friday for Laconia Motorcycle Week 2020. George was riding a Harley-Davidson motorcycle with Mary on the back when something went wrong. Their motorcycle veered off the road and crashed in Gilford between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m., according to Mark Dunleavy, chief of the Flanders-Northampton Volunteer Ambulance Corps.

George died in the crash; Mary was taken to Lakes Region General Hospital in Laconia and airlifted to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon. She died a short time later, according to Dunleavy.

New Hampshire State Police have not released a report on the crash.

On Monday, George Worthington Sr. also died, apparently of "a broken heart," said family friend Susan Tocci.

Dunleavy, who has known the Worthingtons since he was "just a kid," said his father, also a past chief, and Worthington were longtime friends. Dunleavy followed in his father's footsteps to become chief of the agency himself.

"George has always been our rock," he said. "You were always able to bounce something off of him, ask for advice."

George had been with the ambulance corps for 32 years.

"Whenever anybody thought of Flanders-Northampton Ambulance, they always knew George Worthington's name," Dunleavy said. "He was a great member of our community."

The Worthingtons lived in Flanders and George loved to volunteer and dedicate his time to giving back and helping others.

"He was a great teacher and mentor, a loving father and husband. He was just a good guy," Dunleavy said. "A stand-up guy all around."

George and his wife and son were extremely close, Dunleavy said."They did everything together. They were very family-oriented."

Losing both his parents has been "very rough" on Joseph, he said. "But he has the support of his family and of all of us. We're all behind him 100 percent."

George and Mary, he added, had a lifetime love. "Mary stood behind George in everything he did. She was his rock. They were always together."

Remembering his longtime colleague and friend, Dunleavy said Worthington wasn't just a motorcycle enthusiast, he was an ardent Harley-Davidson fan. Recalling all the laughter and memories they shared, he added, "He was a pistol."

Many remember seeing Worthington at the 7-Eleven. "When anybody needed to find George, they knew exactly where to go. George would be there like clockwork, drinking coffee at the 7-Eleven. People would love running into George, who had the big truck with all the lights."

But in all seriousness, Dunleavy said, "He was 100 percent dedicated to the ambulance — he was a full time employee as well as a volunteer. He even mowed our grass! He was so dedicated to this organization."

George, Dunleavy said, started as an EMT and was currently an intermediate critical care advanced life support technician; Worthington and Dunleavy were set to begin paramedical school together soon, he said. "George was so selfless. He put others before himself 110 percent of the time. He always put his patients first. He was an utmost professional and gave top-notch, quality care to all of his patients."

Over the years, Dunleavy said, George "delivered a lot of babies, some on the side of Sunrise Highway. He loved what he did."

Mary, who worked at Eastern Suffolk Cardiology, was also deeply loved. Karen Pace, who worked with Mary and was her dear friend for more than 20 years, was devastated.

"George Worthington Jr. was bigger than life, but I must make sure you write about my friend, the woman behind the man," she said. "Mary Worthington was the perfect soulmate for George. She was quiet and let George be that person to take on the world, save people’s lives and always be there to help others — but she was standing right behind him, holding him up and encouraging him at every turn."

She added: "Mary was an administrative supervisor who was also the woman behind Eastern Suffolk Cardiology, always holding it up, too. There isn’t an employee who isn’t devastated about the loss of our colleague and friend. Mary didn’t have a mean bone in her body. She solved everyone’s problem with a smile on her face and in her voice. Mary will live on in our memory forever."

Both George and Mary, friends said, were proud of their son, his wife Kristal, and their children, Grayson and Hayden.

George had his grandchildren's nicknames painted on his motorcycle, Dunleavy said. "He was proud of his son, and when he had grandchildren, that's all he talked about. Going to see his grandchildren. If they weren't here on eastern Long Island they were in Massachusetts, visiting their family."

Tocci, an EMT whose brother Scott was riding with the Worthingtons before the crash, said the Worthington, Tocci, Pace and Hintze families have all been friends for generations. "We consider each other family," she said.

"It's devastating," she said, adding that she, too, headed to New Hampshire after the crash to be there for Joseph. "As expected, everyone is having an extremely difficult time. We are all used to George being the one to take control of every scene — never missing a beat to save a life. Never thinking he would need the help."

The loss cuts deep, she said. "EMS is a small world and George was known throughout the EMS community. Our families grew up together. My dad and his dad were friends, as well."

It's hard to comprehend the grief the couple's son Joseph, as well as Tocci's brother and his wife, all of whom were there when the crash took place, are experiencing, she said. "Just pray for them. It's extremely hard, what they witnessed."

Still, Tocci said, George's legacy will live on. Stories are flooding in from those whose lives he touched.

One woman wrote on Facebook: "He saved my life on my dining room floor. Brought me back three times. I'm here today because of him. His dad helped build my house. Fly high, George."

Tocci added: "He really was amazing at EMS. He and I had CPR saves, delivered babies and everything in between. These stories warm my heart."

Tocci wrote a message on Facebook after the tragedy: "Please say a prayer today for Joseph Worthington as he struggles with the loss of not only his parents but truly his best friends. We all know George as the picture of EMS but the only thing he cherished more then helping others was his beautiful family. They all did everything together. George and Mary adored him as a child and would always praise how proud they were of him as he grew into such a wonderful man, husband, and father."

There was never a time that she spoke with them "that Joey wasn't mentioned," Tocci said. "George always said how lucky he was. Joey always was the first in our conversations, until he blessed them with their handsome grandson Grayson, followed by their beautiful granddaughter Hayden. Joey had to take backseat as they showed off pictures of their beautiful grandbabies, then would tell stories about the wonderful time they spent with Joey and his wonderful wife Kristal. They enjoyed every moment spent with their family and although their lives were cut tragically short, they lived life to the fullest."

And, she added: "Nobody had a bigger or brighter smile than George Worthington, Jr.— it was contagious and could warm a room. Let's all try to be a little more like them and help our neighbors as he always did."

Dunleavy, too, remembered his friend's smile and happy demeanor — the joy he and Mary found in their lives together.

"He died doing what he loved to do," Dunleavy said. "He loved spending time with his family and riding motorcycle —and unfortunately, he died doing both."

Funeral services have not been announced yet.