GREENPORT, NY, June 17, 2025 - Stony Brook Eastern Long Island Hospital (SBELIH) hosted a special Stroke Awareness Month barbecue to honor the extraordinary teamwork that saved the life of one of their own—Brittney Berry, a Behavioral Health team member who suffered a stroke on the job. Thanks to the swift and coordinated efforts of her colleagues—led by Krystal David, RN—Brittney made a full recovery, highlighting SBELIH’s preparedness as it works toward Primary Stroke Center designation in 2025.
“At SBELIH, ‘Krystal Clear’ means something special,” said Paul Connor, Chief Administrative Officer at SBELIH. “This situation with Brittney could have turned sideways. Because of the team’s professionalism, awareness, and quick response to do the right thing, Brittney is here with us today.”
To commemorate this remarkable response, SBELIH introduced two new awards: The Life Saver Award, recognizing outstanding teamwork in a life-saving emergency, and The Krystal Clear Award, honoring clinical intuition and swift action.
”The Life Saver Award is the ultimate recognition of excellence in teamwork, precise timing, skilled leadership, and demonstrating specialized professional education and training diligently and expertly,” explained Suzie Marriott, MS, RN, PMH-BC, Chief Nursing Officer and Senior Vice President Patient Care Services. “Today we celebrate the heroes involved in saving one of our own, Brittney Berry’s life.
The list of those involved is long, highlighting the complexity of each important role and the teamwork required to pull this off, which you do every day.”
Life Saver Award recipients:
- Emergency Department: Ryan Zapata, MD, FACEP; Suzan Bignami, PA-C; Abida Butler, MD; Karen Gatz, RN; Russell Guerrier, RN; Mumta Ram, RN; Darsy Demirciyan, PCT; Amanda Minessali, LPN; Deborah Bondarchuk, Unit Secretary/Ward Clerk; David Agbara, RN; Christina Mantzopoulos, RN; Cory Carberry, PCT; Treya Leake, RN
- Behavioral Health: Krystal David, RN; Dawn Raynor-Green, PCT; Porschia Poteet, NA; Jalessa Monroe, RN; Christine Katz, RN; Kelly Kalman, RN; Alexander Kamp, LMSW; Stacey Huggins, RN
- Nursing Supervision: Dan Buckner, MSN, RN
- Business Office: Codey Fisher, Registration Clerk/Switchboard Operator
- Laboratory: Tess Smith
- Pharmacy: Charles Breitstadt, Pharmacist
- Radiology: Kathleen Hauser, Radiology Technologist; Richard Perrone, Radiology Technologist
Krystal David, RN, was also named the inaugural recipient of the Krystal Clear Award. Marriott added, “This is a new award inspired by the actions of one of our dedicated and quick-thinking behavioral health nurses. Saving Brittney’s life began with Krystal. Her actions set a standard for excellence that we can all aspire to.”
In an emotional letter of thanks, Brittney’s mother, Michelle Smith, RN, said: “Knowing that SBELIH is committed to making stroke care more accessible and effective for our community is both reassuring and inspiring. Our personal experience is a testament to the dedication, hard work, and compassionate care that this hospital provides every day.”
“What Krystal has done was truly special and amazing,” said Jack Baglivi, Legislative Aide to Suffolk County Legislator Catherine Stark, as he presented Krystal with a proclamation. “We could not be prouder to have her as a member of our community. Anyone who walks through the doors of SBELIH is in strong and capable hands.”
Lloyd Simon, MD, Chief Medical Officer at SBELIH, agreed, saying, “I’ve always had the confidence in our staff that they know what to do in every clinical situation. If you can have something taken care of at SBELIH, there’s no place you’d rather be.”
“When I look around here and see friends and relatives who’ve worked here for years, I’m always impressed,” said Albert J. Krupski, Jr., Town of Southold Supervisor. “It feels like it’s our hospital. I’m here to thank Krystal. Diagnosing a young co-worker on the job like that, it’s extraordinary.”
“What Nurse David demonstrated is a perfect example of situational awareness,” said Steven Grattan, Chief of Police, Southold Town Police Department. “Her intuition and attentiveness allowed her to detect the subtle signs of a stroke that even Brittney herself didn’t recognize. Because of their professionalism and teamwork, Brittney made a full recovery. Their actions absolutely saved her life.”
“Every department in this hospital rose to the challenge of working toward our Primary Stroke Center designation and we did it to save one of our own, even before obtaining NYS Stroke Certification,” remarked Lawrence R. Schiff, MD, FACEP, FAAEM, Vice Service Chief of the Emergency Department.
Anne Horan-McDonald, Director of Radiology at SBELIH, added, “This program is more than a new service. It’s a promise to our community that we are prepared, that we are capable, and that we are ready.”
Courtney Meringer, Administrative Vice President, Medical Affairs & Medical Education and Psychiatry Residency Coordinator at SBELIH, emphasized, “We all got into healthcare for many reasons. We all stayed in healthcare for one reason, patient care. We provide quality healthcare here.”
Top Photo: Suzie Marriott, MS, RN, PMH-BC, Chief Nursing Officer and Senior Vice President Patient Care Services (far left) with many of the Life Saver Award recipients Kelly Kalman, RN; Dr. Ryan Zapata; Codey Fisher, Registration Clerk/Switchboard Operator; Kathleen Hauser, Radiology Technologist; Karen Gatz, RN; Amanda Minessali, LPN; Deborah Bondarchuk, Unit Secretary/Ward Clerk; Suzan Bignami, PA-C; Russell Guerrier, RN; Dawn Raynor-Green, PCT; Christina Mantzopoulos, RN; Cory Carberry, PCT; Krystal David, RN; and Richard Perrone, Radiology Technologist
Credit: Photos by Nicole B. Brewer
About Stony Brook Eastern Long Island Hospital:
As part of Stony Brook Medicine, Stony Brook Eastern Long Island Hospital (SBELIH) combines the best in academic and community medicine, improving access to advanced medical care for residents of the North Fork and Shelter Island. With 70 beds, SBELIH is Suffolk County’s first hospital, serving all of Suffolk County since 1905. SBELIH provides care to 25,000 year-round residents, and expands to 60,000 summer residents, with comprehensive healthcare solutions, including behavioral health, medical-surgical, orthopedics and general surgery, wound care, interventional pain management, gastroenterology, advanced ambulatory care, diagnostic laboratory and radiology services, and physical therapy services. The hospital is also a clinical campus and training site for Stony Brook Medicine, with its first SBELIH Psychiatry resident having graduated in 2022. To learn more, visit https://elih.stonybrookmedicine.edu/.
About the Eastern Long Island Hospital Foundation:
The Eastern Long Island Hospital Foundation (ELIHF), established in 2006, is the fundraising and communications arm of Stony Brook Eastern Long Island Hospital (SBELIH). All of the Foundation's philanthropic efforts are independent of Stony Brook Medicine (SBM), and all funds raised by the Foundation remain local to benefit SBELIH in Greenport. SBELIH is one campus of the SBM system. All hospitals fundraise to enhance services, attract physicians and healthcare professionals, and to build infrastructure for current and future healthcare needs. The Foundation promotes participation in developing and maintaining a positive relationship between our community, healthcare providers and the hospital. To learn more visit: https://elihfoundation.org/.