Ron Stewart remembered as ER pioneer and ‘rare example of selflessness’

Ron Stewart’s extraordinary career spanned more than five decades, transforming health care both in Canada and the U.S.

A leader in his field, Stewart was known for pioneering paramedicine. His work touched countless lives — saving lives and shaping the future of emergency care.

In a heartfelt tribute to Stewart Tuesday, friends, colleagues, and admirers gathered at the NSCC Institute of Technology in Halifax to celebrate his remarkable life and career.

The event marked the release of his posthumous memoir, Treat Them Where They Lie: Pioneering a Revolution in Modern Emergency Medicine, edited by Jim Meek. Stewart, the son of a Cape Breton coal miner, passed away on Oct. 21. He was 82.

The evening featured a moving address from Halifax anesthesiologist Orlando Hung.

“Ron never sought personal gain … his life is a rare example of selflessness — a true testament to who he was,” said Hung. “His commitment to saving lives and serving others with humility is something we should all strive for.”

It was an evening of laughter, shared stories, and deep admiration for a man whose compassion, vision, and unwavering dedication transformed emergency medicine.

Stewart, who was honoured with the highest rank of the Order of Canada in 2023, was remembered as a humble and kind man, despite his vast accomplishments. He was a friend, mentor, and teacher — recalled by those who knew him as having a generosity of spirit matched only by professional brilliance.

Longtime friend Walter Warden met a young Ron Stewart as a freshman in the basement dorms at Acadia University. Walter credits Ron’s positive influence for making him who he is today.

“Within four years after meeting Ron, I knew I was going to be a person that nobody expected me to be,” he said. “Ron was the catalyst of what I became … he made me construct a philosophy in which I learned how to listen with a third ear and how to look and see with a third eye.”

During his nomadic career, Stewart worked in Los Angeles after being accepted to an emergency medical residency program, long before the field was recognized.

Here he became involved in pioneering paramedicine, advising on medical TV shows, and inspiring the hit show Emergency!, later earning the nickname Doc Hollywood. He was later invited to train an early generation of paramedics in L.A., where he worked alongside many former Vietnam war medics.

Stewart’s work went beyond his professional accolades. His donation of $1.3 million to Dalhousie University in 2017, for example, helped establish a research chair in emergency medicine, ensuring that his contributions would continue to shape the future. He was a force in both health policy and humanitarian causes, having led efforts to end the use of landmines and successfully lobbied for tobacco company sponsorship bans in Canada.

He served as Nova Scotia’s health minister from 1993-96.

Murray Lyu, Dalhousie alumni and a previous student of Stewart’s, reflected fondly on his time knowing him.

“He welcomed me to Canada. We spent a lot of time talking about Canadian culture, politics, and society. He introduced me to an entirely different world,” he said. 

As part of honouring his legacy, Murray shared a significant moment: Ron Stewart’s “final call.”

This is a ceremonial tribute given to paramedics, emergency medical technicians (EMTs), or other health-care professionals upon their retirement or death. The tradition involves pausing all emergency communications to broadcast a recording of their final emergency call over the paramedic network, marking the end of their dedicated service.

Listen to Dr. Ron Stewart’s final call broadcast over the paramedic radio network: (Audio)

Stewart’s book was released by Nimbus Publishing, with signed copies of the book available for purchase through Open Book Coffee, a North-End Halifax bespoke coffee and book shop.

“To have the opportunity to share the words of an absolute legend in the medical field is really important,” said Joe Tinney, owner of Open Book Coffee.

Watch Dr. Ron Stewart’s “final words” courtesy of Murray Lyu.

Buy a copy of the memoir here: https://nimbus.ca/store/treat-them-where-they-lie.html?srsltid=AfmBOoqjobBL1bA5Oj8CPQLr8BaiuG-WH_KpXnSXZ30vlNfB1VM0qo97

Dr. Ron Stewart Eulogy: https://tjtracey.com/tribute/details/3183/Dr-Ronald-Stewart/obituary.html

Watch Emergency!: https://www.amazon.com/Emergency/dp/B0CYPQWFSN?dplnkId=a3fbc6f5-543d-4246-aff6-7997238a6f54&nodl=1