Family's dream $130k Airstream that turned to a nightmare when a pediatrician was flung to her death returns home as family grieves the loss of the 'special' mom with daughter blasting RV maker for door's operation

The husband of the Long Island pediatrician who fell to her death from a moving Airstream RV on their way to watch the solar eclipse returned to their Long Island home to grieve his family's loss.

Robert Woroniceki, a kidney specialist at Stonybrook Medical Center, answered the door at the family's Stony Brook home with his two daughters standing behind him days after his wife, Monika, 58, was thrown to her death along a New York road when the door opened to the Airstream. 

The Airstream, which was parked in their driveway, showed no signs of damage and was a solemn reminder of her death. 

Though Richard did not elaborate on the details surrounding Monika's death, he agreed with a DailyMail.com reporter calling it a 'tragedy.' 

'It is,’ he said. ‘I would not do any news. There is too much news already.’

Monika Woroniecka is seen here alongside her husband Dr. Robert Woroniecka and their two daughters Alexandra and Helena. Monika, 58, died on Saturday after falling out of the family's moving Airstream RV

The airstream driven by Richard where Monika flung out an open door to her death is seen parked at their Stony Brook, New York , home on Wednesday

He said Stonybrook University Medical Center had a statement on their website about the pedestrian's passing.

Two young women, dressed in pajamas with grief stripped across their faces, were standing in the hallway of the family home. One of the young women was clutching a small black furry dog and said, ‘she was a very beautiful person.’

The Airstream was intact as it said on the drive. The passenger door that flung opened did not appear to have any visible scratches or dents. 

The Woroniecki family returned to the home Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. Monika died on Saturday during the family trip and New York State Police continue to investigate her death. 

Monika Woroniecka, 58, had just stopped for ice cream at a gas station with her family en route to their AirBnb in Cape Vincent, New York, before falling to her death.

Woroniecka and her daughter Helena decided to ride the last 20 minutes of their trip in the $130,000 Airstream camper.

While Woroniecka was trying to secure the passenger side of the camper, she was thrown from the Airstream and died in front of her horrified family.

Speaking to the New York Post, Helena said that while her mom's death was 'pure accident', the design of the trailer suffered a 'significant safety oversight' due to the door's rear hinge which means it opens against the wind.

Rear-hinged doors such as these are also known as 'suicide doors' because they are easier to open during motion. Most passenger vehicles have the opposite mechanism and are hinged at the front. 

The Woroniecka family returned home to Long Island days after the tragedy that claimed the life of Monika

Richard was driving the truck that was pulling the Airstream

The scene on State Route 12E near Watertown, New York, on Saturday afternoon

The caravan's doors are rear-hinged meaning they open towards the back of the vehicle, making them more liable to being picked up by the wind especially while in motion

She told the outlet: 'The doors on the Airstream open the opposite way that you would expect.

'It doesn’t take an engineering degree to know that on any moving vehicle, whether a bus or a car or a trailer, doors should open against the wind, not towards it.

'That seems like a significant safety oversight to me and seems like the only reason they do open that way is to protect the awning of the trailer.' 

Witnesses behind the Airstream claimed they saw the passenger side door of the Airstream open, and Woroniecka's arm hanging on the door after the wind caused the door to swing ajar. 

When emergency personnel arrived, she was transported to Samaritan Medical Center where she died.

Helena also told the outlet that her mom had named the caravan Nebula, as 'it represented adventure and exploration'. 

She said: 'She loved that trailer so much and poured her soul into it. She would go in there even just to sleep at home when it was rainy and put so much love into it.

'She did also love to travel and explore, which is why my parents bought the trailer — they were planning to take an early retirement and travel to national parks and spend time exploring together.

'My mom loved her family above everything else, so the fact that my sister and I were coming home so everyone could go see the eclipse together — that’s what she was most excited for was spending time with everyone.'

Woroniecka and her daughter Helena decided to ride the last 20 minutes of their trip in the $130,000 Airstream camper 

The family had recently stopped for ice cream moments before the deadly accident 

Monkia Woroniecka (far left) poses with her family

In a statement to DailyMail.com on Tuesday, Airstream said that the family should have not been in the back of the caravan while it was being towed.

'Airstream is saddened to hear about the death of Dr. Monika Woroniecka on April 6, 2024, and our deepest sympathies go out to her family, friends and community,' a spokesperson said. 

'Airstream travel trailers are not designed to carry passengers while in motion. The safety protocol detailed in Airstream’s operating manuals and shared on Airstream’s website advises owners that they cannot tow an Airstream with people inside. 

'Many states prohibit carrying passengers in a travel trailer or fifth wheel, and we advise owners to consult their state’s Department of Motor Vehicles for up-to-date regulations.' 

Helena added: 'This was an accident. Pure accident, and there’s nobody to blame. This is nobody’s fault.

'Sure, maybe Airstream doesn’t advise traveling inside the trailer. But we thought maybe that the last 20 minutes of an eight-hour drive on very quiet and slow country roads would be fine.

'And it’s perfectly legal to do so in some states. It was just a crazy accident. She was the most loving, generous, and golden-hearted person I’ve ever known.

'She was always, always thinking about how to lend a helping hand to someone, whether her family or patients or friends that had medical questions or strangers on the street.'