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EMT Ashley Diaz is being recognized for her resilience and dedication as she continues to save lives in a new role with FDNY EMS
By Kyle Lawson | May 30, 2025
NEW YORK — A catastrophic injury resulting from a crash in 2022 robbed Ashley Diaz of her leg, and her livelihood as a first responder.
Her fighting spirit, however, remains somehow intact.
Amid what’s proven to be a grueling recovery process, Diaz, of New Dorp, continues to save lives in a new role with the FDNY, while at the same time raising a 7-year-old son as a single mother.
“Despite this personal tragedy, Ashley’s continued work as an FDNY EMT illustrates her deep commitment to helping the people of New York and we are grateful for her service,” said Oren Barzilay, president of the Local 2507 of the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees.
On Thursday night, Diaz will be honored in a “union salute” during a gala celebrating the 50th anniversary of EMS in New York City. The event will be held at the Terrace on the Park in Flushing Meadows, Queens.
Her story, said Barzilay, continues to “inspire the men and women of FDNY EMS.”
Diaz, 32, joined the FDNY in 2017. As an EMT, she was assigned to Coney Island where she responded to everything from narcotics overdoses to “hot jobs” including shootings and stabbings.
“I absolutely loved it,” said Diaz. “And when you get that one call when you legitimately help save someone’s life, that was the most rewarding for me.”
Her dream was to become a paramedic, then ultimately a nurse. Her brother works as a firefighter in Brooklyn.
Meanwhile, during her first years on the job, Diaz doubled as a new mom.