May 4, 2023
Dear colleagues and friends,
My heart is heavy for the victims, families, co-workers and friends of yesterday’s tragedy in Midtown Atlanta. I also want to acknowledge the stress and distress our own team may be feeling given that this happened in our home city and in a health care setting. I want to thank our Emergency and Trauma teams at Grady Memorial Hospital who stepped up and provided outstanding care to the victims. Thank you for always being here for our community.
Sadly, we have learned that one person died during the event—Amy St. Pierre, an Emory alumna and employee of the CDC. She was a wife, daughter, and mother of two young children. Many of you may have known her as a colleague, as a friend or as a neighbor. We mourn her loss.
While it is important that we take time to grieve and to acknowledge our pain, anger, and fear, we must not lose hope. Significant efforts are underway to prevent gun violence in our community—including work led by our own faculty members in emergency medicine, pediatrics and other departments. As a member of Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens’s Transition Team Safe Streets Committee, I want to share with you the letter the mayor issued this morning regarding the shooting and actions being taken in Atlanta to address gun violence.
Please take care of yourselves and each other, and don’t hesitate to reach out for additional support if you need it. Resources are listed below.
Sincerely,
Carlos
Carlos del Rio, MD
Interim Dean, Emory University School of Medicine
Interim Chief Academic Officer, Emory Healthcare
Leon L. Haley, Jr. MD Distinguished Professor of Medicine
Division of Infectious Diseases, Emory University School of Medicine
Resources and support
For individuals: FSAP (Faculty Staff Assistance Program) provides free and confidential support for Emory University staff and faculty and their benefits-eligible family members. Visit the emergency services webpage or call 404-727-9355 (WELL).
For team debriefing sessions at Grady: Contact Dr. Nadine Kaslow at nkaslow@emory.edu.
The Emory Spiritual Health team offers worship, prayer, meditation and support through spiritual communities, educational programs; confidential pastoral care; and connections with service and social justice efforts.
CAPS: Counseling and Psychological Services (for students)