Elected Officials Honor a Hometown Hero

ALBANY – On April 19th of this year, decisive action on the part of Mr. Brian Geary of East Fishkill saved the life of an unconscious woman who was trapped in a burning, overturned car on the Taconic Parkway. This week, Senators Sue Serino (R, C, I – Hyde Park) and Terrence Murphy (R, C, G, I, SC – Yorktown) honored Geary with a NYS Liberty Medal, the State’s highest honor.

“It takes a great deal of bravery to put yourself in harm’s way and to not be a bystander in times of trouble,” said Senator Serino. “Mr. Geary’s quick thinking and determination to act, along with his sense of humility following the event, is truly inspiring, and I am elated that I, along with Senator Murphy, have the opportunity to recognize him for his heroism. It is my hope that Mr. Geary’s story will inspire and motivate us all to make a difference in our community.”

“Sometimes, the hero is an ordinary citizen who does an extraordinary thing,” said Senator Murphy. “In this emergency, the first responder just happened to be a citizen who had the bravery to respond first. Brian Geary is a hero in every sense of the word, and it is a privilege to join Senator Serino in presenting him with the Senate’s highest honor.”

According to local news reports, Mr. Geary, on his way to a work training, was traveling on the Taconic State Parkway in the early hours of the morning when he noticed a vehicle in flames. He immediately pulled over, called 911, and checked the vehicle for any individuals who may have been trapped inside.

Noticing a woman wedged in the front of the vehicle, he grabbed a baseball bat from his own car and was able to break through the windshield. With help from others who had pulled over to assist, Geary was able to rescue the women and move her to a safer location while awaiting the arrival of an ambulance. Within minutes of pulling the woman from the vehicle, it became was fully engulfed in flames. The woman was transported to Westchester Medical Center, and she has thankfully survived the ordeal.

The NYS Liberty Medal is awarded as a commendation for exceptional, heroic or humanitarian acts on behalf of New Yorkers. Geary, along with members of his family, traveled to Albany on Wednesday, May 30th, where Senators Serino and Murphy honored him on the floor of the NYS Senate in the Capitol and presented him with the distinguished award. Assemblyman Kieran Lalor stopped by the Senate Chamber as well to meet Geary and his family and to offer his congratulations.