BOSTON (WGGB/WSHM) — The family of a 19-year-old who died after bystanders failed to call for help following a hit-and-run at a bonfire traveled to Boston on Friday to urge state lawmakers to pass “Jesse’s Law.”
Darlene Johansmeyer and her daughter, Willow Vandoloski, joined state Rep. Homar Gomez at a legislative hearing to advocate for the bill, which would “seek to reinforce the importance of emergency medical assistance without unnecessary delay when someone has suffered a serious bodily injury.”
What happened to Jesse Johansmeyer
Jesse Johansmeyer was struck by a pickup truck at a bonfire with friends on March 24, 2023. It took more than 45 minutes for him to receive help. He didn’t die instantly but because nobody immediately called for help, he later died at Baystate Medical Center.
“Forty-five minutes, Jesse remained on his hands and knees, suffering and bleeding internally, while people stood by,” his mother Darlene said. “Instead of calling for emergency medical assistance, they recorded videos. One phone call could have changed everything – not only for Jesse, but for everyone who loved him.”
What Jesse’s Law would do
His family said the legislation is not solely about legal consequences – it is about shifting public behavior…