Fort Worth ER doctor who joined fight against coronavirus pandemic dies in plane crash
A Fort Worth ER doctor died in a plane crash on Thursday, according to a GoFundMe created in his name.
Daniel Scott Piotrowski was on the front lines fighting coronavirus at the Fort Worth Texas Health Huguley emergency room, according to social media posts. He completed his residency at John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth from 1995 to 1998, according to the Texas Medical Board.
Piotrowski was 51 and born in Porter Ranch, California, his obituary said, and he leaves behind a wife and two children.
“His strength and his love during his time here was a reflection of the strength, love, grace and compassion that lived in him through the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,” his sister, Dani Piotrowski Hall, posted on Facebook. “He lived his faith; he did not just speak it.”
The family recently moved back to Texas in September 2019 after Piotrowski took a leave of absence to serve as a doctor in New Zealand, the GoFundMe said.
“He wanted to learn about and from the Maori and Kiwi people while supporting them through his medical work,” the GoFundMe said. “Scott saw the move as a valuable opportunity to see firsthand how other countries practice medicine.”
When the family moved back to Texas, they spent months searching for a home, which they found in March.
“Around this time, the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States, compelling Scott, as an ER doctor, to answer the call,” the GoFundMe said.
During this time, Piotrowski’s life insurance policy lapsed. The week before he had an appointment to reinstate it, he died in the plane crash. Records show Piotrowski was issued his private pilot’s license in April 2019.
Piotrowski was flying the single-engine Cessna 210 when the plane crashed in Burleson about a mile south of Fort Worth Spinks Airport.
The GoFundMe sponsors asked for help to ensure Piotrowski’s children continue their education.
“Scott had an immeasurable impact on countless lives, and those that knew him would testify that he dedicated his life to God and family,” the GoFundMe said. “Scott loved God, craft beer, Star Wars, and never watched a Western he didn’t like. He was a giving and selfless man who never met a stranger and never passed up an opportunity to help.”
As of Monday evening, the GoFundMe had raised about $13,000.
This story was originally published May 11, 2020 at 7:46 PM.
