Paul P. Rega

Paul Patrick Rega, M.D., FACEP, passed away on Thursday, October 13th, 2022.  He was 74 years old.

Born on September 4th, 1948 in the Bronx to Paul and Mary Rega, Paul attended high school at Fordham Prep and college at Fordham University, after which he left the United States and obtained his medical degree from L’ Universita di Roma - Sapienza in 1975.  With his beloved wife, Geraldine, by his side, Paul moved back to the States and was accepted for a one-year internship in Framingham, Massachusetts, followed by a pioneering two-year emergency residency program under the auspices of the Department of Surgery at the Medical College of Ohio in Toledo. The offer of an additional one-year fellowship in the field sealed his decision and a dedicated Emergency Center physician was born!

Paul spent the better part of the next 30 years as an attending physician at The Toledo Hospital Emergency Center, which also included a period of time as flight physician on the ProMedica Air Ambulance helicopter.  Throughout his career, he remained dedicated to providing the highest standard of care for his patients, as well as to the advancement of skills and expertise through research and education.  Paul retired from clinical practice in 2009 and, soon after, was asked to join the University of Toledo faculty as Assistant Professor through the Departments of Emergency Medicine and Public Health.  In that capacity, he engaged his students through unconventional teaching methods, practical applications, simulation lab scenarios, and drills in disaster preparedness. With his professional journey coming full circle, he retired on July 1st of this year.

Over the years, Paul became heavily involved in a multitude of community organizations and events related to emergency services.  One of his most notable endeavors was the founding of the OH-1 DMAT in 1986, a federal medical response team which deploys to the site of a disaster to deliver care to those in need.  Among his numerous publications, he authored Bio-Terry: A Stat Manual to Identify and Treat Diseases of Biological Terrorism and developed seminars such as HARRT (Hospital All-Hazards Recognition and Response Training) and ACORNE (All-Hazard Catastrophes: Overview and Response for Nurse Educators). His most recent accomplishment was the publication of “Disaster Preparedness and Response,” a volume in the What Do I Do Now? Emergency Medicine series.  Over the years, he advanced knowledge and awareness in fields such as hyperbaric medicine, botulism, tourniquets, and acupuncture.  He was widely published and accepted for presentation on topics where he both shared his research and learned from medical professionals worldwide. Most recently, he was actively involved on the local level in services related to the COVID pandemic, providing ongoing input for the community response and management.

Besides his medical interests, Paul enjoyed painting, drawing, acting, writing short-story fiction, watching Turner Classic Movies, traveling, collecting maps, and all things James Cagney.  He was a parishioner of St. Joan of Arc Parish for nearly 40 years.  To those who knew him best, Paul will be remembered most for his wicked sense of humor, an unwavering dedication to his family, and a true sense of wonder for the world. An explorer in every sense of the word, he took joy not only in experiencing all that life had to offer but in bringing those he loved along with him.

Paul is survived by his wife of 50 years, Geraldine, as well as his daughter Kirsten, her husband Shaun Vallejo, and Shaun’s son AJ; daughter Marissa, her husband John Accumanno, and his cherished granddaughter, Veronica; sister-in-law, Sr. Mary Ann D’Antonio; many cousins and other family members.  He was preceded in death by his parents and grandparents.

The family will receive guests on Thursday, November 3, 2022 from 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at Newcomer Funeral Home – Southwest Chapel, 4752 Heatherdowns Blvd., Toledo (419-381-1900) with a Scripture Service at 7:00 p.m. that evening. Funeral Mass will begin Friday, November 4, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Joan of Arc Parish, 5856 Heatherdowns Blvd., Toledo OH 43614. Paul will be laid to rest in Valhalla, New York at a later date.

Those wishing to make donations in Paul's memory are asked to consider the OH-1 DMAT, P.O. Box 954, Bristol, IN  46507.

Checks should be made out to HKA with "OH-1 DMAT" written in the check's memo line.

To share a memory of Paul or to leave a special message for his family, please click the "Share Memories" tab above.

Local Arrangements:

Reposing, Hawthorne Funeral Home on Saturday, Nov.12,2022 at 9:00 AM. Funeral Mass, Saint Francis of Assisi Chapel at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Hawthorne, N.Y. at 10 AM. Interment to follow.

HAWTHORNE FUNERAL HOME

21 West Stevens Ave.

Hawthorne, New York 10532

914-769-4404