Sunday he got his wish — but the swearing-in took place in a hospital bed where he lay recovering from a crash that killed one of his good friends in the department.
End barely had the strength to lift his new
Four people, including End, were injured in the crash on the winding one-lane road by
Bernstein, of
End said he was happy to be installed as a firefighter — but happier to be alive.
“”I’m lucky enough to be here to even do that. It could have been a lot worse,”” he said, adding that he became a firefighter because many of his friends were volunteers and “”I hung out there all the time anyway.””
End had been scheduled to be sworn in as a member Sunday, but after the accident, officials moved the ceremony to
Bernstein and two of the other injured passengers –
Another passenger,
Bernstein was a volunteer for four years,
Jackson said Bernstein had worked as the store’s expert on skiing and snowboarding, which were passions of his.
Several
Scudlo spent four years in the Marines, has volunteered with the fire department for 10 years and is the son of
“”The response from our group has been overwhelming,”” Scudlo said, adding that his son was “”very conscious and alert”” other than feeling the side effects of painkillers.
The crash is under investigation. The car was impounded, police said, but criminal charges are unlikely.
End’s mother, Patricia, said she was relieved to see her son’s condition improving — and she was ecstatic to see him earn his fire department badge.
“”It’s fantastic how he’s pulling through,”” she said.