'Look out for the elderly': Loved ones speak out after Seattle woman dies from heat exposure

SEATTLE - The medical examiner’s office says 14 King County residents died during this week’s heat wave. All deaths were attributed to hyperthermia, meaning their bodies overheated. 

One of the victims was 85-year-old Dorothy Galliano. 

Dennis Moore and his family had only moved into Seattle's Seward Park neighborhood a month ago, but in that time, their neighbor Dorothy made an impression. 

"She was the first neighbor to come over and say hello," Moore says. "It was awful hot and I feel really bad about it because here I am a neighbor and I didn’t even think to check on her, and now she's gone. I really hope she didn’t suffer much," says Moore.

The news that she died from the historic heat stunned neighbors. 

RELATED: Over 220 went to emergency rooms in King County during Monday's heat wave

"It’s really left a void with me and many of the people I know in that neighborhood who has known her for many years," says Ann Pinksy, who lived next door to Dorothy for decades until recently. 

She says Dorothy’s home was built by her late husband. The house, and Dorothy, became a staple in the community. 

"Her house is absolutely stunning. It’s like a gingerbread house with stained glass that she herself did. She was very creative." 

Pinksy says Dorothy had lived alone for about 10 years and took good care of herself. 

"She was very engaged. She was a member of her local parish, St. Anthony’s. She went almost every day to volunteer there …She was a character, she was a lovely lovely person."

Ann, an occupational health specialist, knows how dangerous extreme heat can be. She knows Dorothy’s home didn’t have air conditioning, but she’s still shocked this happened to her. 

"Had someone had the foresight just to check in early on those two days, one day, Sunday it would’ve made all the difference, it would’ve saved her life. I felt it was an unnecessary passing and a true tragedy because it was avoidable completely."

She says she hopes Dorothy is remembered for being a generous, outspoken, intelligent woman. 

"I hope people learn from this and look out for each other, look out for family, look out for the elderly."

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