For Dr. Peter Sultan: Daughter’s grief support mission honors beloved PBMC surgeon
The teenage daughter of a beloved orthopedic surgeon who died in July — less than two weeks after her 16th birthday — is channeling her heartbreak into a mission to help others.
Elizabeth Sultan, a junior at Westhampton Beach High School, recently launched Peter’s Packages, an organization supporting children and young adults navigating grief in honor of her father, Dr. Peter Sultan.
“In my mind, his death is tragic. I’m the one left hurting,” Elizabeth told the Riverhead News-Review in an exclusive interview. “I want to help other people who are left hurting.”
Dr. Sultan died suddenly on July 13 while participating in the Jamesport triathlon. He was 54. The surgeon had practiced at Peconic Bay Medical Center for more than 20 years, touching thousands of lives by restoring patients’ mobility and helping them live free from pain.
The outpouring of grief from across the North Fork and Riverhead made it clear that Dr. Sultan’s connection with the community extended far beyond the operating room. Whether through a shared devotion to family or a love of music, his commitment to those around him left a lasting mark.
Elizabeth wants to keep that legacy alive in her own way.
Each package includes what Elizabeth calls “comfort items” — small things meant to bring healing and connection to anyone who’s had to sit front row at their first funeral.
The grieving daughter said the many gifts she and her brother, William, received inspired her to launch Peter’s Packages in mid-August.
One particular present that proved helpful to her was a journal.
“I found it important to write down [feelings],” she said. “Meals were also important at the time so I included gift cards to places we went to.”
She started by collecting donations at events her father would normally attend, such as her soccer games and music performances.
“He was a light in my life,” she said. “He’d always sit in the front row. It was annoying at first [because of bad photos he’d take], but now I see how nice it was.”
She also recalled the many thankful patients the family would encounter, even once on a family trip to Pennsylvania.
A favorite joke between them was guessing, “Who are we going to meet today?” she said. “I did know he was special.”
To support the initiative, donations are being accepted through an Amazon Wishlist featuring board games, sympathy candles, memory journals, tea selections, and arts and crafts supplies.
Some donations have arrived with a note addressed to Elizabeth, which she sees as a way for her father’s former patients to find comfort.
The wishlist is already helping others heal, she added.
As Peter’s Packages grows, Elizabeth intends to connect with local bereavement centers like the one at PBMC.
“It was a true gift to have Dr. Sultan as part of our extraordinary team, and we are honored to support Elizabeth and the mission of Peter’s Packages,” a spokesperson for Peconic Bay Medical Center said. “You can lend a hand by making a purchase from their Amazon Wishlist today.”
Donations can be distributed when a need arises or referred to a specific person.
Follow Peter’s Packages on Instagram: @peters.packages.
