STUART, FL (WBTW/WFLA) – A doctor who practices in Myrtle Beach and Pawley’s Island died in a plane crash at a recent air show in Florida.
Joseph Masessa M.D., who practiced with The Dermatology and Skin Cancer Center of South Carolina, died in a crash last week, the dermatology center confirmed. Masessa’s aircraft went down at the Stuart Air Show in Martin County, Fla., on Friday afternoon.
Air show officials tweeted about the crash just after 1:30 p.m. “We’ve had an incident involving one of our aircraft. All local and federal agencies are on site and investigating so that we may ensure the safety of our airshow before we continue,” they wrote.
The Martin County Sheriff’s Office was among the agencies that responded to the crash at Whitham Field. They tweeted a photo from the scene of the plane that crashed.
Dr. Masessa had been in private practice since 1992. He was with two South Carolina offices, one in Myrtle Beach and one in Pawleys Island. He specialized in dermatologic surgery, skin cancer, laser surgery and cosmetic dermatology.
From 2005 through 2009, in conjunction with the Skin Cancer Foundation, Dr. Masessa helped raise skin cancer awareness among NASCAR drivers and fans.
An author of several publications, Dr. Masessa has received the American Medical Association Physician’s Recognition Award and the American Academy of Dermatology Physician’s Recognition Award.
The Stuart Air Show posted a tribute to Dr. Masessa on their social media: “We lost Dr. Joseph Masessa while preparing for this weekend’s event. Joe was a beloved performer of the air show, a local Floridian, and will forever be family. He will always be remembered as we move forward in future endeavors. On behalf of the Audi Stuart Air Show, we would like to extend our deepest condolences to the Masessa family.
