Tree Crushes Car, Killing NYC Doctor in Westchester

2008_03_cortcar.jpgThe acting chief of medicine at Metropolitan Hospital was killed yesterday when strong winds uprooted a tree that crushed his car. Dr. John Corser was instantly killed, but somehow, his two children, ages 4 and 8, in the backseat were spared.

A state police sergeant, James Kranik, explained, "The front limb of the tree, shaped in a V or a Y, landed directly on top of the driver. He was killed instantly. The rear limb landed on the trunk. {The kids} were in between the two limbs, and ultimately that's what saved them."

Corser and his wife, Dr. Lourdes Figueroua, had moved from Brooklyn to Croton several years ago. Corser also directed the HIV program at Metropolitan Hospital and led the hospital's medical ethics program, according to the Journal News. The Journal News also mentioned, back in 2004, there were two separate incidents in Westchester where falling trees killed the parents in the front seats but the children in the back survived.

Metropolitan's medical director Dr. Richard Stone said, "Dr. Corser was an esteemed member of Metropolitan Hospital's staff where he served as acting chief of medicine with great commitment, compassion and skill. He was a beloved personal physician to a great number of patients in the East Harlem community, many of whom are desperately ill."

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Comments (9) [rss]

Man, that is one terrible trick of fate for him, but a lucky one for his kids.

Yet another reason not to move to the suburbs. RIP Dr. Corser.

"Man, that is one terrible trick of fate for him, but a lucky one for his kids."

I understand what you're saying, but I wouldn't exactly call having your father crushed to death before your very own eyes to be a lucky trick of fate.

No kidding. I feel terrible for those kids.

When it's your time, it's your time.

Makes you think about how life can be so short and taken away just like that.

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Yeah I'd say if the kids were "lucky" or if "God was looking out for them" then they wouldn't have had their dad crushed to death in front of them in the first place.

Always blows my mind when people say stuff like that after some sort of incident.

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