Airstream says it was “saddened” to learn of the death of a Long Island pedestrian who fell from a motor home while driving on a New York highway, but stressed that he shouldn’t have been in the back to begin with.
Monika Woroniecka, 58, died Saturday after falling from an Airstream pulled by her husband who was driving a truck. She was in the RV and was thrown out of the vehicle in front of her horrified family as they headed to see the eclipse.
New York State Police continue to investigate the incident.
“Airstream is saddened to learn of the death of Dr. Monika Woroniecka on April 6, 2024, and our deepest condolences go out to her family, friends and community,” the company said in a statement to DailyMail.com.
‘Airstream campers are not designed to carry passengers on the move. Safety protocol detailed in Airstream operating manuals and shared on the Airstream website warns owners that they cannot tow an Airstream with people inside. Many states prohibit transporting passengers in a travel trailer or fifth wheel, and we recommend owners check with their state Department of Motor Vehicles for updated regulations.
Monika Woroniecka, 58, died Saturday after falling from an Airstream pulled by her husband who was driving a truck. Airstream officials said they were saddened to hear of her death, but stressed that people should not be in a moving recreational vehicle.
She was in the silver Airstream 2024 as the family was traveling on State Route 12E and the door suddenly opened with a gust of wind.
The scene on State Route 12E near Brownville, New York, on Saturday afternoon.
It is illegal to tow passengers in an Airstream in New York state, as well as something the company warns against.
According to New York State Police Sgt. Jack Keller, Woroniecka and her daughter, Helena, decided to travel the last 20 minutes of their trip in the $130,000 Airstream camper.
They had just stopped for ice cream while heading upstate from their home on Long Island. Woroniecka’s husband, Richard, was driving a truck and pulling the Airstream along Route 12 E in Brownville.
Witnesses behind the Airstream stated they saw the passenger side door of the Airstream open and Woroniecka’s arm hanging from the door after the wind caused the door to swing open.
Police continue to investigate the horrific incident.
‘I haven’t dealt with these types of incidents much. “We are still trying to determine how and why the door was opened,” Keller said.
On Monday, no one answered the door to the Woroniecka residence. Antipas, who lives next door to her family, was devastated to have no idea that she was her neighbor and she only found out about her when a media outlet told her about the tragedy.
Neighbor Maria Antipas said they would look after each other’s houses when they traveled and said she had the key to their house.
“They left the other day,” he recalled. ‘They got an Airstream a couple of months ago and have been taking little trips. I look after their house for them when they are away and they do the same for me.’
Her husband Robert, 59 (left), was driving the van pulling the caravan in which Woroniecka (right) was traveling. They are photographed with one of her daughters who may have been with them on the trip.
Dr. Woroniecka (far left) poses with her family.
Dr. Woroniecka has three daughters, including Alexandra (left) and Helena (right), who accompanied her on the trip.
She said that on the day they were leaving, her husband was walking the dog and saw Woroniecka and her husband Robert preparing their truck and Airstream. They told them they were going upstate to see the solar eclipse and meet their daughter.
Richard, a kidney doctor in Stonybrook, and his wife had moved into the house on Dogwood Drive in Stonybrook six or seven years ago.
He said the couple were outdoorsy and have three grown daughters who are all very intelligent. One lives in Virginia with her family, another is a musician and lives in New York, and the third daughter is studying medicine in Arizona and will get married this summer.
She told DailyMail.com that she remembered the day Richard drove the Airstream home.
“He was brilliant,” he recalled. “They were very excited to get it.”
Maria said the last time she saw Woroniecka was the day before she left. She was walking her dogs and they said hello.
Totally devastated, she repeated: ‘I can’t believe something like this happened. “It’s so tragic.”
“The safety protocol detailed in Airstream operating manuals and shared on the Airstream website warns owners that they cannot tow an Airstream with people inside,” Airstream, led by CEO Bob Wheeler, said in a statement. .
The family appears to have traveled in a new 2024 Airstream Bambi 16RB.
The relatively small, carefully designed camper is six feet long and sleeps four people.
The cost of the new model starts at $60,400
In New York State, it is illegal to ride in a trailer other than a fifth wheel while it is moving. Airstream manufacturers also warn against riding in the camper van while it’s on the move
Dr. Woroniecka was a pediatric allergy and immunology specialist at Stony Brook Medicine, where she practiced for more than 20 years.
She treated children with food, environmental, medication and bee sting allergies, childhood asthma and skin conditions such as eczema and hives.
‘Dr. Woroniecka enjoys traveling, hiking, exercising, and spending time with family and friends,” his work profile said.
He grew up in Poland and attracted Polish-speaking patients from across the region, he added.