Broward County Teacher Tragically Loses Life during Childbirth

by Sharon Aron Baron February 4, 2015

by Sharon Aron Baron February 4, 2015 2 minutes read

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Suzanne Mazzola with three of her children before she was to give birth. – Photo courtesy of Mazzola family

By: Sharon Aron Baron

A special needs teacher lost her life while giving birth to her fourth child on Monday.

Suzanne Mazzola, 34, an exceptional student education teacher (ESE) at Park Trails Elementary who primarily worked with students with autism, passed away during surgery while giving birth to son Owen Gabriel, who was born healthy.

Suzanne and her husband Joe, of nine years, are from Tamarac and leave behind four children: Matteo 7, Ella 5, Luca 2 and newborn baby boy, Owen.

In a fundraising website created in her honor by her aunt Janet Free, she states that Suzanne was diagnosed with a condition called Placenta Percreta that occurs when the placenta penetrates through the entire uterine wall and attaches to another organ such as the bladder. The primary concern for Suzanne following child birth was hemorrhaging while a team of 15 doctors attempted to detach the placenta. The website said that Suzanne was given the option to take the baby very early in the pregnancy, “but being the wonderful strong woman and mother that she was and understanding the personal risk, she chose to wait until 35 weeks when the baby would be strong enough to survive,” wrote Free. Owen was born at 6 pounds 2 ounces.

Suzanne’s love for children led her to become a special needs teacher for the Broward County Public School system. Her husband Joe helps run the family business Mazzola’s Italian Restaurant. Suzanne is also survived by her parents Ernest and Cynthia Roberts, Siblings; Kristine (Sergio) Rodriguez, Michael (Nancy) Roberts, Brian (Amy) Roberts, Elizabeth Roberts, Joshua Roberts, Eric Roberts, Sarah Roberts, Eddie Roberts, Jennifer Roberts, Erik Roberts and Jovanni Roberts, mother and father in law; Giuseppe and Margaret Mazzola, brother and sister in law; Marianne Mazzola and Anthony Mazzola; 19 nieces and nephews and many other loving family and friends.

Update: So far the family has raised over $86,000 by over 1,100 donors since she has passed away.

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Sharon Aron Baron

Editor of Talk Media and writer for Coral Springs Talk. CST was created in 2012 to provide News, Views, and Entertainment for the residents of Coral Springs and the rest of South Florida.