Wife Of Injured Miami-Dade Firefighter Speaks Out For The First Time
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - For the first time since a veteran Miami-Dade firefighter was injured in a horrible accident on Tuesday of last week, his wife is speaking out, saying his recovery will take some time.
CBS4's Peter D'Oench caught up with Alejandra Gonzalez as she and the firefighter's nephew, Terrence Dolan, who is also a Miami-Dade firefighter, were visiting 50-year-old David Gonzalez at the Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital.
"This is devastating," said Alejandra Gonzalez. "This is going t be hard on us. We have four kids and this is going to be a long ride for us."
David Gonzalez initially had a collapsed lung and has had two days of surgeries on his legs and his a damaged shoulder and fractures in his vertebrae and may need spinal surgery.
"Yesterday he had scapula surgery and that was a long surgery," she said. "Tuesday he had another surgery on his leg for his femur. His legs are pretty bad. Both femurs are broken and both knees are in pieces and with his right leg so damaged he may not be able to walk for three to four months."
Authorities say the 18-year-veteran firefighter fell several floors down an elevator shaft at Bal Harbour Shops just after 7:30 in the morning on Tuesday, January 14th while trying to save someone who was trapped in an elevator. It happened before the mall opened for business.
Gonzalez was airlifted to the Ryder Trauma Center.
"That's what we fear working as he does in service that he was going to get injured but this is what he likes to and this is what he wants to do serving the public," she said.
"I appreciate all the support and the kind words from the public and their comments and the support from the schools," she said. "I thank everyone for that."
Dolan said "I am very proud of him because he dedicated his life to trying to serve the public and he is devoted to that," he said. "If he was going to get injured this is the way he'd like to get injured helping someone."
Dolan said "He's going to be out of work for sometime if he is ever able to return to work."
Alejandra Gonzalez said "This support is going to help him and it is going to help us recover from what happened."
Gonzalez has been busy dividing her time between work, caring for their four children and spending time at the hospital with her husband.
A Gofundme page has been set for Gonzalez. Click here if you would like to help.