Lauren Wagner, 18, of 176-16 Kildare Rd., who suffered from congenital heart disease, died after she…
By Brendan Browne
A Jamaica Estates teenager died last Thursday night after she collapsed while she was jogging on a street near her home with her brother, police said.
Lauren Wagner, 18, of 176-16 Kildare Rd., who suffered from congenital heart disease, died after she went into cardiac arrest at about 8:30 p.m. on the sidewalk in front of the house at 185-12 80th Dr. in Jamaica Estates, said Ellen Borakove, a spokeswoman for the medical examiner’s office.
Wagner was pronounced dead on arrival at Queens Hospital Center in Jamaica, police said.
“There was a narrowing of some of her blood vessels and she had a very enlarged heart,” said Borakove, adding that Wagner had the heart disease since she was born.
According to neighbors, Wagner’s 16-year-old brother ran for help after Wagner fell to the ground. Adi Zolotov, who lives at 185-12 80th Dr., said Wagner’s brother was in a panic when he approached her house for help, but moved on to a neighboring home when her dog started barking loudly.
The teen next hurried to Rosemarie Gurino’s house across the street from where his sister collapsed, screaming, “Call 911, call 911,” and ringing her doorbell. She said she immediately called for an ambulance while Wagner’s brother returned to attend to her on the sidewalk.
“Her brother was just a wreck. He came just frantically repeatedly ringing my bell,” said Gurino. “I just feel terrible for her family.”
A friend of Gurino’s tried unsuccessfully to find a pulse on Wagner’s body before emergency workers arrived a few minutes later, she said. Two EMT workers attempted to resuscitate the girl before she was rushed to the hospital.
Wagner’s stepfather, Roy Tyson, whom she lived with in Jamaica Estates, said Monday after her funeral that the family would rather not discuss the death or Wagner’s memory due to emotional exhaustion.
Funeral services were held for Wagner Monday in a ceremony in Valhalla, N.Y.
Reach reporter Brendan Browne by e-mail at Timesledger@aol.com or by phone at 229-0300, Ext. 155.
