ST. CHARLES COUNTY, Mo. — The St. Charles County Ambulance District is mourning the loss of Lt. Sarah McCarthy, a 23-year veteran who died after suffering a medical emergency while on duty.
In a Facebook post, the district said McCarthy suffered chest pain while on duty at SCCAD Station 12 in St. Peters on Nov. 21. She was then transported to Missouri Baptist Hospital where she underwent emergency surgery. On December 4, she suffered a setback in her recovery and was transferred to Barnes-Jewish Hospital St. Louis, where she died on Dec. 9 with her family by her side. As a final act of service to others, McCarthy gave the gift of organ donation through Mid America Transplant.
McCarthy joined in 2002, was promoted to lieutenant in 2016, and served on both the district’s Honor Guard and its STARS team, which supports special needs pediatric patients and their families.
“To briefly encapsulate Sarah’s contributions to the District and our community is impossible; she was a fierce advocate willing to undertake any action necessary for an individual in need,” said SCCAD Chief Skip Stephens. “Her dedication to patients, particularly our STARS families, was unwavering, and an example that we can all hope to strive for.”
McCarthy had earned multiple SCCAD Awards of Excellence for patient care, advocacy and community service, and was widely recognized for exemplifying the district’s core values of dedication, compassion, accountability and integrity.
Arrangements for Lt. McCarthy are pending and will be shared in accordance with her family’s wishes. The Paramedic Association, Honor Guard and district leadership are working closely with her loved ones to support them through this loss.
