Dorothy tragically suffered a cardiac arrest at her home on 23rd October 2024, which resulted in a fall down the stairs. Despite the swift arrival and tireless efforts of the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) team at Air Ambulance NI, along with their colleagues from the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS), who managed to resuscitate her, she sadly passed away later in hospital. In recognition of the vital service provided by Air Ambulance NI, Dorothy’s family chose to honour her memory by supporting the charity that works tirelessly to save lives across Northern Ireland.

The donation was recently presented at the Air Ambulance NI base in Lisburn, where Dorothy’s family had the opportunity to meet Pilot Rich Steele and learn more about the lifesaving work carried out by the HEMS team.

“It costs £8,200 each day to keep the HEMS service operational, and on average, we are tasked to two patients daily. Every mission depends on public fundraising and support, and it is particularly humbling when families, during their own time of grief, choose to support the service through donations in lieu of flowers. This thoughtful gesture will have a lasting impact in keeping the helicopter flying and ready to respond to emergencies whenever and wherever they’re needed.”