Dr. DiStefano died Aug. 18 following an accident at the Cazenovia Triathlon, Rich O’Neil, president of the event, said in the report. The surgeon was competing in the swimming portion of the event when he went under the water. He was later pronounced dead at Syracuse-based Crouse Hospital; his cause of death has not been determined.
Aaron Bianco, MD, a spine surgeon at Syracuse Orthopedic Specialists, remembered Dr. DiStefano for being an enthusiastic triathlon athlete, having competed in past events. With the orthopedic practice, Dr. DiStefano organized social events to help physicians and employees connect.
“It’s just a tragic loss for our family, and we’re a close family, and we work a lot together, and to lose someone you know that we care about is really a difficult thing for us,” Dr. Bianco said in the report.
Dr. DiStefano is survived by his wife and three children.
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