Jesse Johansmeyer’s family urges Massachusetts lawmakers to pass emergency response bill

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.

“Jesse’s Law is not about punishing people for the sake of punishment,” Darlene said. “It is about creating a culture where helping someone in a life-threatening emergency is the expectation.”

Vandoloski added, “Jesse’s Law reinforces something that most of us already believe: when someone is experiencing a medical emergency, someone should call 911 without delay so that trained professionals have the opportunity to respond and provide care”

In the wake of Jesse’s death, his family founded Jesse’s Justice Inc., a statewide nonprofit that assists grieving families and advocates for public safety initiatives.

As of Friday, more than 7,800 people — including over 5,400 Massachusetts residents — have signed in support of Jesse’s Law.

“Nothing can bring Jesse back,” Vandoloski said. “But I believe that his story can help protect someone else.”