CHESAPEAKE, Va. — A wrong-way crash on I-464 in Chesapeake left three people dead on Sept. 21, including an EMT and a paramedic traveling in a North Carolina–based ambulance.
The 22-year-old EMT, Skye Oraczewski, is being remembered for her dedication to helping others, according to 13News Now. Her mother, Jennifer, said Skye was strong-willed, compassionate and always ready to lend a hand.
Oraczewski and Paramedic Stephen “Mike” Anderson later died at the hospital. Coworker Necie Barnett said she had just spoken with them before their shift, an abrupt final goodbye that will haunt her for a long time.
“We always looked at each other and told each other to be safe, and he and Skye would always say, ‘always,’” Barnett said.
James Wheeler, who mentored Oraczewski during her college field training, said she had a rare passion for EMS and was poised to make a major impact as she began her career.
“I felt that Skye was going to be a huge part of EMS; her heart was in the right way, and every once in a while, you get that one person in there, not looking just to do it,” Wheeler said. “They actually have a real passion for it, and I believe Skye had that real passion for EMS.”
A fundraiser for Skye Oraczewski’s family has already raised thousands, and her mother thanked the community for its support. The ambulance company held a moment of silence on Sept. 24 for Skye and Mike Anderson.
