Many prayers have been answered this week.
The Suffolk County Police Department announced that a wounded officer battling for his life has made a substantial turn for the better over a week into his hospital stay.
“We are happy to report that Suffolk County Police Officer Brendon Gallagher, who was critically injured in a motor vehicle crash on January 5, has been upgraded to fair condition and remains at Stony Brook University Hospital,” the department released in a statement.
Nearly two years to the date since he was hospitalized for being stabbed in the chest and hand while responding to a call in Medford, Gallagher was in dire straits once more for simply doing his job: protecting the greater public.
A decorated Veteran who served in the U.S. Army National Guard for a decade, including a post in Afghanistan from 2016 to 2017, Gallagher naturally elected a Highway Patrol assignment rather than desk duty upon swiftly recovering from this previous incident.
Officer Gallagher was in pursuit of a speeding Ford Mustang on the Long Island Expressway the evening of Jan. 5th when said vehicle lost control and sideswiped Gallagher, causing Gallagher’s vehicle to overturn.
According to Dr. Voss, Stony Brook’s leading trauma surgeon tasked to treat Gallagher for massive blood loss and aortic hemorrhaging, it took 30 minutes for first responders to even remove the officer from the wreckage. Once they did, a helicopter lifted him away from the Exit 55 Brentwood crash site and to the North Shore-located hospital.
“Thank you to all the medical professionals who have worked tirelessly in Officer Gallagher’s recovery,” Suffolk Police added. “Please continue to keep this officer and his family in your thoughts.”
The alleged perpetrator Cody Fisher was arrested and hit with a handful of charges shortly thereafter. These included: driving while impaired by drugs, second-degree assault, unlawful fleeing of a police officer, and reckless driving.
Fisher’s colorfully checkered record—namely being on probation for a previous weapons conviction—prompted local leaders to demand bail reform and ample legislative action to make roads safer amidst a categorical epidemic of roadside terror.
Even Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney took time ahead of all other matters to discuss the then-uncertain state and fate of Officer Gallagher in his Jan. 7th re-election announcement.
“We want to wish him a speedy recovery, and we want to thank him on behalf of my office, on behalf of law enforcement, on behalf of everyone in this room, and on behalf of everyone in Suffolk County,” Tierney spoke from the Suffolk Theater stage in Riverhead.
He added, “I want to thank Officer Gallagher for his service to this county. We are grateful for that service and we look forward to his continuing service with the county.”
A “Fund the First” campaign was created to help support Gallagher and his family during his struggle. Thousands of donations poured in, with over $130,000 collected.
To contribute, visit Officer Gallagher's "Fund the First" page here.