Dr. Albert John Romanosky

Dr. Albert John Romanosky, born July 24, 1951 in Philadelphia, to Albert and Mary (Zadorozny) Romanosky, peacefully passed at home on May 12, 2025. He lives on through the memory of his wife, Janice Romanosky and daughters, Laura, Julie and husband Chris Robeck, and Jill and husband Arminak Vartanian, as well as his beloved brothers David and sister-in law Lu Ann, Joseph, and stepmother Darlene Romanosky. Also left behind are half-sister Julia Brogden, and step siblings Charlene Messer, Charles McMinn and wife Sharon, and Michael Steczak.

Al attended Penn State University where he earned undergraduate, masters, and PhD degrees. Here, he became known as “Big Al” to the many lifelong friends he made there. Following his PhD program, Al went on to New Orleans where he enthusiastically participated in the local culture, including many Mardi Gras. He graduated from Louisiana State University in 1985 with a Doctor of Medicine degree. He then went on to complete his internal medicine residency at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, gathering even more dear and lifelong friends along the way.

Now “Dr. Al”, he developed a passion for emergency medicine, working in ERs across Maryland where he also developed special interests in EMS, emergency preparedness, and disaster and special operations medicine. Triple-boarded in Internal, Emergency, and Disaster Medicine, he eventually transitioned to the Maryland Department of Health where he spent 22 years as State Medical Director and Emergency Preparedness Coordinator in the Office of Preparedness and Response (OP&R). Additionally, he served as the Vice Chair for the Board of Disaster Medicine from 2016 until his death.

Dr. Al developed a reputation among his OP&R colleagues not only for his intense intellect and curiosity, but also for his genuine warmth, caring and mentorship for those in his sphere of influence. They became part of his extended family. And like family, he both loved and exasperated them all. He was recently described as having “a big, booming voice that was nature’s way of serving notice to those that met him that with Al, they would get nothing in half measure.”

His love for teaching continued throughout his career in various forms. Dr. Al worked closely with the military and various government agencies to train and educate first responders and field medics. He was the assistant medical director for one of the nation’s first tactical EMS teams trained to provide care to victims of mass casualty events such as active shooter incidents. For many years he taught Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) at Johns Hopkins University Hospital, and Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) University of Maryland, Shock Trauma Center. As a US State Department contractor and subject matter expert, he taught and presented internationally at locations in Asia, Africa, and South America.

With the onset of the war in Ukraine, Dr. Al was the point person for coordinating Maryland’s efforts to support medical and healthcare delivery to residents of Ukraine. Total donations amounted to five tractor trailer loads of donated supplies and equipment, exceeding 12M in value. Although so many of his contributions and achievements escaped notice, he most recently received the 2025 Physician of the Year Award from the American Board of Disaster Medicine for which he was very proud, as well as the State of Maryland Governor’s Citation for his service.

His transplant physician remarked that, “Even in the face of a relentless disease, he carried himself with remarkable strength, humility, and clarity. He always had such a positive yet grounded perspective, and he treated every physician, fellow, resident, physician assistant, nurse, pharmacist, medical student and staff member with the utmost respect and kindness. Even while he was ill, he found ways to educate, uplift, and mentor those around him. The fellows, residents, and team members learned from him just as much as they cared for him.”

As a father, Al always wanted the best for his girls, working hard to instill in them a love of learning. From teaching them how to walk (then drive), to discussing epidemiology and tracheotomies at the dinner table, to teaching household repairs and how to work on cars, he strived to equip them for life’s challenges, big and small. In a household of women, he became affectionately known as “the big fixin’ lovin’ guy.”

While sometimes stubborn and quirky, at heart Big Al was a gentle, loving soul with a thirst for learning that kept him curious up to his final days. He especially loved history, shooting and building guns (and bragging about teaching his daughters how to shoot), his BMW M3, and exploring different cultures. Whether he was traveling through the world for work or visiting friends in the Himalayas of Bhutan, he was always seeking new knowledge and insights for his journey toward healing himself and those around him.

The sounds of NPR too early on a Saturday morning will be missed, as will the sound of his steps through the house and his customary “Dad’s home!” at the end of the day. His departure leaves a huge space that his gregarious presence once filled. The only thing to replace it now will be the overwhelming number of dear memories we hold of him and his unique and loving personality.

We love you. Thank you. For everything.