Fighter: Family of woman saved in ’03 cheers PRPD

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Amie Simon Fried, who was 22 when her mother wiped out in the borough two decades ago, posted on the PRPDʼs Facebook, “I would like to give a shout out to all those involved, mentioned and not. Through the years we have stayed in touch with the officers and we are forever grateful and pleased to have them meet the next generation.”

She said, “It is our familyʼs hope that all who helped save my momʼs life should continue to be healthy and happy for many more years to come.”

Amie, her husband, Joel, and her mom, Helayne, brought wraps and pastries. Department photos show them, with young Bailie, flanked by police chief Joseph Madden, Lt. Peter Mauro, Capt. Joseph Rampolla, and Sgt. Anthony DiBlasi.

The officers who rescued Helayne Simon were Anthony DiBlasi, Greg Stalb, Peter Mauro, and Sgt. Joseph Rampolla.

James Babcock also was on the scene with the road and fire departments. The good Samaritans were Mark Wechshler of Pittsburgh and George Rice, 64, president of the Search and Rescue Council of New Jersey.

In its March 7, 2003 article “Good Samaritans, cops save woman from an icy death,” the Recordʼs Karen Mahabir said “Without a second thought, [Rice] and the other driver raced down the snowy hill, jumped into the creek, and yanked open the carʼs back door. Rice … said he could see a womanʼs hair flowing in the water.

“Feeling around in the frigid water, Rice lowered her seat. Joined by DiBlasi and Officer

Greg Stalb, they pulled Simon from the car and put her on the rock. Although they thought she was dead” — sheʼd turned blue — “Mauro and Rampolla immediately began CPR while DiBlasi ran back to the creek to check for other victims.”

Police had been alerted to the accident by a 9-1-1 call. Local emergency dispatcher Kenny Steele ran point.

Mahabir reported, “Standing in the water on either side of the rock, Mauro did chest compressions, while Rampolla used a bag mask to force air into Simonʼs lungs.”

The patient finally responded with a cough.

“We were in shock,”Rampolla told the press. “We stopped and checked her pulse, and she had one. She was breathing. It was quite amazing.”

Then there was the vital task of getting her back up the embankment. The Park Ridge Fire Department had lowered a basket. Responders raised her to the waiting embrace of a waiting ambulance crew. Road workers cleared the path.

Mahabir reported, “Recovering Thursday afternoon at Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, Simon was in good spirits and wanted only to thank her rescuers, said her daughter.”

Amie Simon told the paper, “Iʼm amazed and thrilled. Iʼm very thankful that they saved my mom. We just thank them so much, from the bottom of our hearts.

Mahabir wrote, “No thanks were necessary for her rescuers, who said their reward came from knowing they had saved Simonʼs life.”

“Today was one for the win column,” Officer DiBlasi said at the time.

On Facebook last week, the community added to the joy of the 20th anniversary visit:

• Jim Browski: “You never forget these moments in your career. Look at the good thatʼs happened since that day. Great work!”

• Town of Ramapo Police Department: “Great job by all involved and very nice of the Simon family to stop by and thank you all!”

• Ken Steele: “Great save! Good stuff! …I remember the 9-1-1 call and everything. Knowing the territory and the local landscape personally has become a lost art amidst ʻtechnologyʼthese days. I always took great pride in that fact and I continue to do so to this day.”

Amie Simon Fried, Helayneʼs daughter, now living in Monsey, N.Y., told Pascack Press on March 15 that her family visited the PRPD in 2018, at the 15-year anniversary of the save, bringing noshes, and again at this 20th anniversary, to introduce Bailie.

She said that in June 2019 life turned upside down again: Helayne was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. “For many people itʼs treatable and for many itʼs not, and so at the time I was six months pregnant. So it was a very emotionally charged time.”

In September 2019 Bailie was born.

In January 2020 Amie donated blood marrow to her mother — toward her complete recovery.

And now, of the reunion with Park Ridgeʼs finest:“Of course thereʼs hugs! Of course!”

Rampolla recalls Rampolla spoke with Pascack Press on March 15. “Itʼs interest- ing, because after the event took place, you just create these bonds with people that you never expected to create. We think of Helayne and her family as our family.”

He said, “Sheʼs showed up to [department] promotion events, and there was a time when there was talk about laying off police officers — Helayne showed up with Amie and shared her story about what the police mean to their lives, and you just have that relationship thatʼs unbreakable and you have forever.”

He said, “Itʼs always nice to hear her voice” and “sheʼs just so appreciative of life.”

He added, “She didnʼt see a light, but she did relay that when she was upside down and the water was rushing in, she knew wasnʼt going to be able to get out. She was like, ʻIhad my peace with God and I was just ready to go.ʼ And then she woke up in a hospital room.”

Taking in her cancer win and other family lore, Rampolla said,

“Helayne is a fighter. Sheʼs shared with us all of the things thatʼve happened, and sheʼs like the Energizer Bunny.”

He said, “Whenever we deal with stuff thereʼs usually something bad going on, right, as a police officer; people donʼt just call us to say hi.And these types of good stories, when they happen, they mean a lot to us.”

He said, “Everybody kind of says, What if that was my mother, if that was my sister, and you see these stories of people overcoming adversity. Helayne has always done that.”

Rampolla lauded dispatcher Steele, who unfortunately was cropped out of a published group photo of this incidentʼs police responders in 2003. “I think dispatchers are way underpaid. Ken Steele was the first person in that chain … There were so many people involved in this situation, but it starts with the dispatcher. Without them you couldnʼt get anything else.”