Surgeon Peter Sultan, 54, beloved for his healing hands and musical soul

Dr. Peter Sultan, a renowned orthopedic surgeon with Peconic Bay Medical Center in Riverhead and a longtime Westhampton resident, died suddenly Sunday, July 13, while competing in the Jamesport Triathlon, an event he took part in anually. He was 54.

The unexpected loss of Dr. Sultan — a beloved father, physician, musician and community figure — has sent ripples of grief throughout eastern Long Island, where he served patients for two decades.

“He was an incredibly gifted musician, often serenading patients between surgeries with his keyboard playing at the hospital,” reads a passage from his family’s obituary. “Patients and co-workers all valued him as a friend, mentor, and caregiver.”

That same passion for healing and humanity defined Dr. Sultan’s approach to medicine.

Colleagues at Northwell Health and Peconic Bay Medical Center remembered him not only as a top-rated orthopedic surgeon, but also as a devoted leader, educator and source of calm reassurance to those in pain. In 2013, he was named the hospital’s Physician of the Year.

Born in Mineola, Dr. Sultan studied biology at Harvard University and later earned his medical degree from Weill Cornell Medical College.

He completed a fellowship in adult reconstructive surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital through Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Sultan joined PBMC in the early 2000s and quickly rose to chair of orthopedic surgery. His skill and empathy earned him national recognition in joint replacement care.

The doctor also lectured on such topics as joint health and the connection between music and medicine.

Outside the operating room, Sultan was known for maintaining a seemingly boundless level of energy. He walked, ran, cycled, hiked, snowboarded and  regularly competed in the Jamesport Triathlon.

Dr. Sultan is survived by his children, Elizabeth and William, whom he described as his greatest joys. He is also survived by his parents, Burton and Marilyn Sultan; and his sisters Marla Sultan (partner David Kramer), Jessica Fields (husband Joel), and Lorna Kapusta (husband Matthew).

“We are broken hearted to share the sudden passing of our brother,” wrote his sisters Jessica and Lorna in a Facebook post announcing his death.

_{Top photos: Dr. Peter Sultan and his two children (Facebook).}