By Steve Bradley and Leo Surdam
On June 8, 2017, Brian Ciccone was traveling through the Town of Hoosick on his way to Americade at Lake George. Ciccone was on County Route 95 between Route 346 and Route 7 in Hoosick, cruising on his motorcycle and enjoying the ride with three of his companions and looking forward to an enjoyable weekend in Lake George.
He went into a corner located just south of the intersection of South Street and Breese Hollow Road and began to drift out of his northbound lane and into the southbound which happened to have a full size yellow school bus in it driven by longtime bus driver Leo Surdam. There was nothing for Surdam to do but try to slow the bus, which he did, leaving 24 inch long skid marks in the pavement. Ciccone and his motorcycle hit the front of the bus on the entry door side. He bounced off the bus and landed ten feet off the side of the road in a small grassy area.
Ciccone was injured. Seriously injured. Possibly fatally injured.
Calls were dispatched for fire and rescue squads. The Hoosick Fire Department, Town of Hoosick Rescue Squad, Petersburgh Fire Department and Petersburgh Rescue and an Advanced Life Support Crew from Bennington Rescue responded to the scene. Members of all three rescue squads worked together frantically to stabilize Ciccone enough to hopefully make it to the hospital. The Hoosick Falls Fire Department established a landing zone at Hoosac School and Ciccone was transported to a waiting LifeNet helicopter and flown to Albany Medical Center Hospital.
Brian Ciccone survived. It wasn’t easy but he did. Initially just staying alive was a goal. After he achieved that, months of physical therapy followed. Ciccone worked hard and as his body healed he was able to do more and more. Along the way he began commuticating with driver Leo Surdam, letting Surdam know how he was progressing. They kept in touch.
On Saturday, Ciccone, a Waltham, Massachusetts firefighter and member of the military, returned to the Town of Hoosick to meet all the people who came to his aide. He came to say, “Thank you.”
Surdam said during the week leading up to the reunion, ” We rarely get to see or meet the out-of-area people involved after an accident, we usually don’t know how they make out.”
Ciccone was warmly welcomed by everyone. He brought friends and family to meet the people who had helped him. He posed for pictures, laughed, and had a good time. He and his friends were invited and attended the Hoosick Fire Department dinner held that evening.
In a fitting end to the evening, the Hoosick Fire Department surprised Ciccone with reserved rooms for him and his friends to spend the night.
The entire town of Hoosick is happy you were able to come back and visit, Brian. Come back anytime.