Niagara Health is mourning the loss of Sarah Jane Paton, a critical care nurse whose life was tragically cut short in a plane crash while working as a flight nurse.
A memorial sent to staff says Paton was a valued member of the Intensive Care Unit at Marotta Family Hospital, after joining the ICU in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic and also working at the Welland Hospital's emergency department.
The memorial says Paton brought joy, optimism and compassion to her work, and found a perfect fit when she became a flight nurse, combining her passion for nursing with her sense of adventure.
Colleagues remember her as a strong advocate for patients, and a trusted teammate.
Paton was one of four Canadians aboard a jet operated by Latitude Air Ambulance out of Hamilton, which was lost in the Atlantic Ocean early Saturday morning while flying to Boston from Bermuda.
The Canadian crew also included Philip Childerhose of Oakville, Thomas Farquhar of Brantford and Jolene Beth Weir. The Bermuda government has identified the Bermudians on board as 66-year-old Marilyn Bean and her 41-year-old son, Sergio Lottimore.
The U.S. Coast Guard says the aircraft's black box, which contains data regarding the plane's functions in the moments leading to the crash, has not yet been recovered.
(Written by: Matt Latour)