Penn Hills paramedic Nicholas Theofilis remembered as someone 'born to serve'
PENN HILLS, Pa. (KDKA) — The community is still in shock after a paramedic died following a crash in Pittsburgh over the weekend.
Police say Nicholas Theofilis, 23, was driving the ambulance at the time of Sunday's crash, which happened just after 11 p.m. at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Morewood Avenue in Shadyside.
"Probably the most incredibly difficult day of all of our careers," said Paul Falavolito, White Oak EMS chief.
The loss is hitting the community and his colleagues hard. Theofilis also worked part-time as a paramedic for White Oak EMS.
"He was born to serve, and he enjoyed that aspect of the job," Falavolito said.
"He had the gift of when you met him for the first time, he can make you feel at ease," Falavolito added. "He can make you laugh. He can make you smile."
"He was always upbeat and comical," said Cody Schimizzi with White Oak EMS. "Always there to help everybody, friends, family."
Theofilis, who was also a volunteer firefighter in Rosedale, was behind the wheel of a Penn Hills ambulance when he struck another driver. He went into cardiac arrest when medics arrived and later died at the hospital.
His partner in the passenger seat suffered head trauma, cuts to his face, and a possible concussion. He was released from the hospital on Monday.
In the meantime, Theofilis' colleagues are trying to cope. White Oak Paramedic Lt. Maureen Gallagher said their hearts are broken, but she knows Theofilis would want everyone to continue serving the community with the same passion he had.
"Nick was my work son and so very special to me," Gallagher said. "He was compassionate, funny, loyal and a great paramedic. I helped him get through medic school and was so very proud when he passed. Our hearts are broken."
"He was solid gold from head to toe," Falavolito said.
"He died doing what he loved to do," Schimizzi said.
Pittsburgh police say there were no patients in the ambulance at the time of the crash. A second vehicle was hit after the crash, but no one inside was hurt.
