Cop was 'phenomenal,' say friends
Folks can honor the memory of the late Roy Wells at his life celebration Aug. 3
By Sean Patrick Murphy; Staff Writer

One of Roy Wells' last requests was that people celebrate his life, not mourn his death.On Sunday, Aug. 3 there will be a life celebration from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Maple Shade 25 Club, at 60 E. Rudderow Ave.

"Roy wanted a party," Wells' brother, Rob, said.

Rob said Wells' family is grateful for all of the people who pitched in and helped raise money to make his house handicapped accessible and to help pay bills.

Wells was diagnosed about five years ago with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. It is a terminal illness for which there is no known cure.

Wells, 41, leaves behind his wife Stephanie and three children, aged 21, 17 and 16.

"Roy was a phenomenal human being," Rob said. "He was an incredible husband, an awesome father."

Wells coached soccer, was a D.A.R.E. officer and was part of an E.M.T. squad.

"Roy really signified what it was to be a civil servant and a good human being," Rob said.

Wells and Stephanie were married for 20 years.

His father and uncle were police officers in Maple Shade for about 30 years.

"It's kind of a family business," Rob said.

Wells died July 22 with his wife by his side. Rob said the family got to say goodbye before Wells died.

Wells will be remembered as being a great person and a great friend, Rob said.

"Everybody that he touched had something incredibly good to say about him," Rob said.

Police officer Mark

Woodland had known Wells since he started as an officer and is a friend of the family for as much as 20 years.

Woodland said Wells was a very good officer and was great with families. His personality is what made him unique, Woodland said, noting he never saw Roy get angry.

"He was just one of the guys everybody liked," Woodland said. "He always had a kind word to say to everybody and he's going to be missed."

Police officer Misty Weiss knew Wells from when she joined the force in 1999.

She said Wells was outgoing, friendly, nice to be around and was always available if you needed him.

"Wells would go out of his way to fix the problem without hurting other people," Weiss said. "Wells leaves behind a legacy. We'll never forget him."

Mario Medero, clinic founder, dies at 56

By NASEEM S. MILLER
Star-Banner


Published: Friday, August 1, 2008 at 6:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Friday, August 1, 2008 at 5:51 a.m.


OCALA - Dr. Mario Medero, an Ocala physician and founder of Medero Medical clinics, died last Friday at his home in Ocala. He was 56.


He died of ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, said his wife of 13 years, Laura.

Medero was diagnosed with the disease nine years ago and lived longer than the two- to five-year life expectancy.

"He was very brave and he fought [ALS]," Laura Medero said. "He had a lot of hope that they'll come up with a cure in his time. He tried not to let [ALS] stop him and tried to acquire all the medical equipment that helped him stay active."

Medero was the son of a teacher and a plumber and was the first in his family to go to medical school.

He completed his medical degree at the University of South Florida in Tampa. He finished his internship and residency in general surgery at the University of Florida in Gainesville.

In the mid-1980s he founded Medero Medical, an occupational medicine facility for injured workers, and grew it to six clinics in Central Florida.

"He was an extremely dedicated and intelligent physician," said Cookie Dominie, director of operations for the company, who has worked with Medero for 21 years. Dominie said Medero was a visionary businessman and a caring person.

"He wanted to make sure workers were taken care of. He cared about the blue-collar workers," she said.

Medero also loved the Florida outdoors and activities.

His favorite hobby was deep-sea fishing. In 2001, after his diagnosis, he went to Cuba for a fishing tournament.

Medero enjoyed getting on his tractor and working around the family farm in Orange Lake, said his wife. The family eventually sold its farm because of Medero's disease. He also loved working on his boat in the Keys.

Medero was active in his clinic for several years after being diagnosed with ALS. He had an electric wheelchair at each of his clinics so he could get around and see patients.

But the progression of the disease finally stopped him.

ALS is a neurodegenerative disease that usually attacks both upper and lower motor neurons and causes degeneration throughout the brain and spinal cord, according to the ALS Association. There are limited options for treatment and there's no cure.

Medero stopped going to the clinics two years ago and it bothered him that he couldn't go, said his wife. "He used his hands and needed his hands and that was one of the first muscle groups that were affected," she said.

Medero enjoyed spending time with his family and three children, Hunter Rose, 11, Taylor Wade, 10, and David Marcus, 7. He was happy to experience being a father again, his wife said. Medero has two children from a previous marriage, Mario Antonio, 30, and Megan Kristine, 23.

Medero's death was not sudden, because of the gradual progression of the disease. ALS eventually affects the lungs, and the patients stop breathing.

Although he's gone, he has left those around him with valuable life lessons.

"One of his favorite things to say to me was, 'everyday is a school day,' " Laura Medero said. "That's something I'll carry with me."

"He loved life. He hated sleep and would say it's a waste of time. He lived a lot more than a lot of people. And he's in heaven now, walking around with a big smile," she said.

Naseem Miller may be reached at naseem.miller@starbanner.com