"Everyday Hero" Henry Arakaky, MD, Honored at Retirement from UM SMC at Chestertown ED -

Henry Arakaky, MD, was honored recently at a brunch celebrating his retirement after 19 years as an emergency medicine physician at UM Shore Medical Center at Chestertown. The event was attended by more than 50 of his fellow ED staff members and other colleagues from within the UM SMC at Chestertown community.

An amusing highlight of the proceedings was a mysterious gift — a bag of microwave popcorn — presented to Dr. Arakaky by Doris Paul, registrar, who confessed that a long ago fire alarm in the ED that necessitated the evacuation of a patient was actually due to her own burned popcorn — Dr. Arakaky laughed when Paul told him he was the only one on duty who had was unaware until this presentation what caused the alarm to go off.

Deborah Davis, MD shares a moment with Henry Arakaky, MD, at a reception honoring him on his retirement after 19 years of service in the Emergency Department at UM SMC at Chestertown. — Deborah Davis, MD presented Henry Arakaky, MD with an Everyday Hero award from the Chester River Health Foundation. Dr, Arakaky’s colleagues in the UM SMC at Chestertown ED had nominated him for the award.

The Emergency Department staff and physicians made an “Everyday Hero” donation to the Chester River Health Foundation to honor Dr. Arakaky as their Everyday Hero. The Everyday Hero pin was presented to Dr. Arakaky by Deborah Davis, MD, medical director, Emergency Medicine, UM SMC at Chestertown. Dr. Davis noted that during his tenure with the hospital, Dr. Arakaky had worked in the “old” emergency department (where Radiology is currently located), in the “new” (2001) 11-bed emergency department, in the temporary space in the old ICU, and lastly, the present 17-bed Emergency Department, opened in 2014.
“Dr. Arakaky has been a steady force, commuting two hours to work the ‘graveyard’ shift, and most recently, the graveyard shift on the weekends,” said Dr. Davis, noting that due to a “lead foot” (and so many tickets), on occasion Dr. Arakaky was transported to work by a chauffeur. On a more serious note, she stated, “Dr. Arakaky has always been available to help-out when someone was sick or needed a shift changed. He is loved by the Emergency Department staff (especially the night crew), his fellow physicians and his patients, so many of whom have benefited from his excellent care. …. It has been a pleasure to have Dr. Arakaky on our team. He is a wonderful peer, physician and friend and we will miss him. ”

Dr. Arkaky surrounded some of the his co-workers and colleagues who came to say farewell. — Dr. Arakaky, center, surrounded by some of his co-workers and colleagues who came to say farewell.