When he first promised Georgina Cornago of Lynbrook that he would get their bill—putting EpiPen auto-injectors in all Suffolk County patrol cars—enacted back in 2022, Suffolk County Legislator Dominick Thorne knew it would be an uphill climb.
Three years later, the root intent of “Gio’s law” finally saw its implementation across the county, with 25 patrol cars equipped with the devices on Thursday, September 4th.
Three days later, a life was saved.
Greg Kronred, 72, of Dix Hills, first learned he was allergic to bees in 2019. He was stung once more on Sunday, September 7th, while working outside his Wyandanch Avenue business.
Kronred’s son called 9-1-1, and the first responders—Suffolk County police officers Ryan Belanger, Brandon Casco, and rookie Sara Feldman—subsequently saved the day.
With Kronred on all fours, barely breathing and suffering from severe stomach pains, Belanger administered the EpiPen into his left leg. The handy shot of adrenaline was all that was needed for Kronred to instantly return to high-spirited luciness—enough to thank his heroes in person two days later in the lobby of the H. Lee Dennison Building in Hauppauge.
“I didn’t realize what was happening,” Kronred recalled. “All the officers that came, they did a fantastic job, [and] I’m here today to talk about it. If they weren’t there doing their job and taking care of me, I wouldn’t be here today—that’s for sure. Thank you to everyone that helped me. I couldn’t ask for anything more.”
Gio’s law is named for Cornago's late son, Giovanni Cipriano, who passed away at 14 years old after an allergic reaction.
“To have epinephrine immediately available makes all the difference,” Cornago said at the ceremony held to honor Kronred’s clean bill of health and the police officers who saved his life.
“This is the reason for Gio’s law. Allergic reactions can happen anywhere, anytime… this is the kind of forward thinking and action we need to see everywhere.”
Cornago commended the Suffolk County Police Department and her bill’s foremost sponsor, Thorne, who also took to the podium to explain some unavoidable “New York City exclusions” that complicated the bill’s timeline.
At the end of the day, Thorne—Chair of Suffolk County Fire Rescue and Emergency Services (FRES)— contends, “money doesn’t matter when it’s somebody’s life.”
“I made Georgina a promise that I would not let this go,” he said. “Thank you for your advocacy.”
Suffolk County officials announced that the bipartisan initiative cost $25,000—an investment already proving dividends. “This is what happens when the government works exactly the way it’s supposed to,” said New York State Senator Dean Murray.
“When someone goes into anaphylaxis, every second counts,” Assemblyman Joe DeStefano, one of the many local leaders and champions of Gio’s Law in attendance on Tuesday, September 9th, told The South Shore Press.
As a former member of the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office, DeStefano recognizes what happens when critical tools aren’t within reach in an emergency.
“When someone has a severe allergic reaction, an EpiPen can mean the difference between life and death,” he said. “This bill puts common sense into action.”
Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine asked: “What’s the value of a life?”
Priceless.