Story by Rena Sarigianopoulos at KARE-TV:
Cory Broich is thankful to be able to be with his family after he was nearly killed in Interstate 94 last week.
Broich sat in his hospital bed in St. Cloud Sunday with his wife and five kids surrounding him.
He picked up his 3-month-old son Carter and gave him a kiss. It’s a moment he’s all too happy to experience.
“Very too close to call,” said Cory referring to the accident that nearly took his life last Tuesday.
Cory Broich was on a routine call on Interstate 94 near Clearwater last week when a passing car hit and pinned him against the fire truck. He was airlifted to St. Cloud Hospital with extensive injuries to his legs.
“I remember getting hit, and hitting the ground and crawling away so I didn’t get hit again,” said Cory.
The 28-year-old will be in hospital for at least three more weeks, and at this point, doctors don’t know when he’ll walk again. For the first time in Cory’s life, he’s not the one giving, but receiving help.
“It means the absolute world to me what everybody’s been doing,” he said fighting back tears. “I can’t say enough.”
The visitor’s waiting room just down the hall at St. Cloud Hospital is always full, even with people who don’t know the Broichs.
“I just wanted to stop by and see his friends and family and tell them our thoughts and prayers are with them and we’re here for them,” said Jason Smith with the Big Lake Fire Department.
A benefit was held Sunday night at Flintstone’s in Clearwater.
“Support another firefighter. We’re a brotherhood so we want to help Cory our whatever way we can,” said Eric Linn, Chief of the Avon, Minnesota Fire Department. He and several members of his department drove in for the event.
Webster’s couldn’t write a better definition for the word community than the one that played out Sunday in this tiny Minnesota town.
“We had the extra money and they needed it way more than we did,” said Sheryl Miller. She doesn’t know the family but felt the need to help.
The Broich’s will only dwell on the accident long enough to teach others a lesson.
“Hopefully this will bring a light to some people and get them to see and realize and slow down,” said Cory Broich.
They don’t want to dwell on the accident because they’re too busy now creating new memories.
“Thank God I get to see my kids again.”
There is a fund set up for the Broich family at:
Annandale State Bank
P.O. Box 224
Clearwater, MN 55320
