Crash victim thanks firefighters and paramedics that saved his life

Excerpts from roster.com:

Cody Drummer couldn’t recall most of the people who saved his life after he was pinned under a garbage truck last November, but he still felt an overwhelming need to meet them and express his gratitude. Recently, he finally had that chance.

He was in the car with his family, thinking they were heading out for lunch. Instead, they pulled into the parking lot of Cherry Valley Fire Protection District Station 2 in Rockford. As he was helped from the back seat into a wheelchair, a group of about a dozen local firefighters and paramedics stood waiting. They were ready to hear his thanks.

Drummer shook their hands and expressed deep appreciation for their role in saving his life. He was accompanied by his mother and his wife, Cassidy, who have been by his side since the accident. The couple, married just nine months ago, are expecting their first child, a baby girl, in June.

“In the early days after Cody’s accident, I often sat by his bed, praying that we would get a chance to do this,” she said, fighting back tears. “It means everything to us. These people will always be in our hearts.”

“This means my baby will have a dad,” Cassidy added. “I’m so grateful.”

The incident happened on November 9 when Drummer was driving a garbage truck along Baxter Road. A pickup truck crossed into his lane and collided with him, pushing his vehicle onto its side. While the second passenger in the truck was unharmed, Drummer was pinned underneath.

A Maggio’s tow truck helped lift some of the weight off him, while Cherry Valley firefighters spent nearly an hour cutting him free from the wreckage. He was then airlifted to the hospital by a LifeFlight helicopter. Fire departments from Cherry Valley, New Milford, and Stillman Valley all responded to the scene.

“I just wanted to thank them,” Drummer said. “They didn’t have to do this. They do it because they care. They’re heroes, and I’m really thankful.”

With a splint on his left leg and a neck brace, Drummer was wheeled around the fire station so he could personally thank the responders. Before his arrival, a LifeFlight helicopter similar to the one that rescued him landed in the parking lot, giving him a close-up view of the aircraft that saved his life.

Among those he met was Steve Reuss, a firefighter and paramedic from Cherry Valley who was the first to speak with Drummer after the crash. Reuss also transported the driver of the other vehicle to the hospital. It turned out the driver had a medical condition that caused the collision; he is currently recovering from his injuries.

Reuss shared that this was only the second time in 20 years he has had the chance to follow up with someone he saved. “It feels good,” he said. “After doing this for so long, you don’t often get to see how people turn out. With privacy laws now, it’s hard to keep in touch. You rarely know what happens unless you read about it in the paper or in an obituary.”

Lt. Lane Person from the Stillman Valley Fire Department was also at the scene. He works for a private ambulance company in Loves Park that has taken Drummer to his appointments in Rockford and Madison, Wisconsin.

“I feel great,” he said. “I’m extremely grateful for this moment. It makes me even more excited to be here with my family.”

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