03/23/2026
🚁💙Honoring the Life and Legacy of Dr. Cathy Carrubba💛
Today, with incredibly heavy hearts, we honor the life and legacy of the one and only Dr. Cathy Carrubba.
Dr. Carrubba was the visionary founder of TGH Aeromed; the driving force behind its creation in March of 1989, with the very first flight taking place on April 1st. What she built was far more than a transport service…she created a standard of excellence, a culture of accountability, and a family rooted in purpose. Aeromed exists today because of her vision, her grit, and her unwavering belief in what this team could become.
She was not simply a physician. She was a mentor who shaped careers, a confidant who offered steady guidance, and a fierce advocate for both her patients and her people. She led with strength and conviction, never hesitating to challenge us when we needed it most; always with the intention of making us better. And she did. Every single one of us who had the privilege of working alongside her is better because of her.
Dr. Carrubba’s impact on medicine and EMS is immeasurable. She published extensively across medical and research journals and was instrumental in developing evidence-based protocols that continue to guide care today. She served as Medical Director not only for TGH Aeromed, but also for Tampa Fire Rescue and the Hillsborough County Mass Casualty Program. She was board certified in both adult and pediatric emergency medicine and played a foundational role in shaping the future of EMS education as a founding force behind the USF EMS Fellowship in both 2007 and 2012.
Her leadership extended nationally. She was deeply involved in both the Air Medical Physicians Association, where she was honored as the 2016 Medical Director of the Year, and the National Association of EMS Physicians. Her expertise and passion for emergency medicine even reached the public eye, as she was featured in Trauma: Life in the ER (Season 6, Episode 1, aired September 10, 2001).
But beyond her titles and accomplishments, Dr. Carrubba was something even greater. She was described as a “supermom,” a superhero to many, an exceptionally selfless and forward-thinking leader whose presence alone was naturally commanding. She had a profound and lasting impact on countless lives…leaving behind what can only be described as an extraordinary legacy.
Even after her retirement in 2016, Dr. Carrubba never truly left Aeromed. She remained a constant presence; joining us for holidays, celebrations, and quiet moments in between…reminding us that Aeromed was never just a program to her. It was home.
To know Dr. Cathy Carrubba was to love her. She was, and will always remain, the pinnacle of Aeromed.
Her impact extends far beyond our program. She was an icon within Tampa General Hospital, Emergency Medicine, Tampa EMS, and the state of Florida; and a nationally recognized leader in the air medical community as an original founding member of AMPA. Her influence helped shape the very foundation of our industry.
Our hearts are broken as we mourn this profound loss. But even in our grief, we are grounded in gratitude…for her leadership, her friendship, and the legacy she leaves behind.
We will forever honor her.
We will carry her standards forward.
We will continue to build upon the foundation she created.
Her spirit will live on in every flight, every patient, and every member of this team.
Our love and prayers are with all who knew and loved her…especially her family, and our entire TGH and Aeromed family.
