Dave Hartstein, A Montauk Doctor, Dies of Hantavirus At 35

Dave Hartstein was a fixture in Montauk and East Hampton. The 35-year-old father of three, who was a chiropractor and worked in both East Hampton and Montauk, where he lived, could often be seen walking Nyah, the family’s Rhodesian Ridgeback near his office, Hampton Chiropractic, on Montauk Highway in East Hampton just east of Citarella’s.

On Friday, June 16, at 3 a.m., after several days of being ill with what the family thought was Lyme disease, Dave was taken to Southampton Hospital by ambulance and died a little over four hours later. It has since been determined that Mr. Hartstein died of rare virus that is carried by rodents called the Hantavirus. [expand]

By Saturday morning, an announcement had gone out by the East End Foundation, which is raising money for Dave’s wife, Heather, and their three children, Devon, Logan and Shane, that he had contracted a deadly virus after cleaning his basement. The news spread quickly, with many worried that he had contracted the lethal Hanta virus. Word from his family is that this speculation has been premature and the cause of death has not been confirmed yet.

He was a surfer, Buddhist, woodworker and devoted father and husband. A service was held on June 23 at Sole East in Montauk. A fundraiser is planned for July 15, also at Sole East. Donations can be made to the East End Foundation, P.O. Box 1746, Montauk 11954. “Harstein” should be written on the memo of the check. [/expand]