First responders reunite with family of car fire victim, advocate for fire safety awareness

SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (WLNE) — It was an emotional morning for the daughters of longtime Charlestown resident, Moira Perna.

“It’s heartwarming and it feels really good to help with our journey of grief and loss and to meet these folks who are passionate enough to save lives every day,” said Perna’s daughter, Beth Logue.

Lisa Lynch and Beth Logue lost their mother, Moira, in a car fire in 2020.

On Thursday, they got to meet the first responders who did everything they could to save her.

“Just thanking them for trying to save my mother’s life and they did all they could, and they just said sorry,” explained Lynch.

It served as a moment of closure for the first responders, as well.

“Most of the time the responders don’t have closure,” said the chief of emergency medical services in South Kingstown, Craig Stanley. “They respond to the call and they treat the patient and they may find out the outcome, but sometimes they don’t. For them to find the outcome and get thanks from the family, it means a lot to the responders.”

‘Universe Juice’ is the nonprofit that set the special reunion up.

Its founder, Lisa Brunetti, felt a deep connection to the paramedics’ unwavering dedication to saving her life after she was the victim of a head-on collision in South Kingstown in 2022, inspiring her to give back and make a difference.

“It’s very emotional for everybody involved,” explained Brunetti. “Again, because of what happened to me I know how powerful the experience can be and how healing it can be.”

The outcome of Thursday’s meeting was ‘Moira’s Mission’.

It’s a campaign honoring the life of Perna while promoting fire safety in vehicles, in partnership with the Union Fire District of South Kingstown.

Donations are being collected so fire extinguishers can be purchased for residents to have their own form of protection in an emergency.

“We’ve taken something so tragic and now with the hopes of this awareness maybe someone’s life can be saved,” concluded Logue.

Fire extinguishers can be picked up Mon.-Fri. starting Mon. March 17 from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the Union Fire District Office, located at 131 Asa Pond Road, South Kingstown, RI.