WARWICK, R.I. (WPRI) — The Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) is mourning the loss of an alumnus killed while on a humanitarian trip to Ukraine.
According to CCRI President Meghan Hughes, Peter Reed died on Feb. 2 in the Donetsk region of Ukraine after an ambulance he was in was shelled.
“Those who knew Reed from his time at CCRI say Peter had a zeal for life, was service driven, and believed in using his training to help others and make a difference,” Hughes said.
Reed, of New Jersey, started at CCRI in the fall of 2019. He graduated in 2021 with a degree in emergency management and homeland security.
A former U.S. Marine Corps rifleman, 33-year-old Reed served two deployments to Afghanistan. He also worked providing aid after Hurricane Sandy, trained 33 Haitian EMTs, and treated 10,000 trauma patients in Iraq, according to CCRI.
Reed founded Global Response Medicine (GRM), a non-profit organization, dedicated to providing emergency care in crisis, according to their website.
“As a U.S. Marine, a mentor, a paramedic, and a humanitarian, Reed exemplified his commitment to helping others. Peter Reed is a hero and we are grateful for his service and his sacrifice,” Hughes said.
In a statement, Reed’s wife, Alex Potter, said her husband was selfless, charming, and brash.
“I loved the way he forcefully advocated for wounded civilians, the tight bonds he made with the Iraqi medics, and his magnetic personality – his ability to connect with and love literally everyone he came into contact with,” Potter said.
