Albany, NY – A Queens family of six driving upstate for the holidays “miraculously” survived a frightening accident that sent their SUV tumbling off the highway and launched the youngest of the clan out of the car.
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Although his entire family was hospitalized after the early-morning wreck yesterday near the town of Bethlehem, 42-year-old dad Eli Rowe sounded grateful that things didn’t turn out worse.
He said their 2010 Mercedes veered off the rain-soaked New York Thruway and flipped over multiple times as they were headed from Flushing to Lake George for a family getaway.
Yet somehow the vehicle, driven by Rowe’s 17-year-old son, Max, landed upright on a patch of grass near the roadway’s shoulder.
“Considering five people were admitted to the hospital and none with critical injuries, it is a holiday miracle,” said Rowe, a volunteer paramedic with the Queens Hatzolah who tended to his family before emergency responders arrived. “I think it’s beyond miraculous.”
Rowe’s youngest son, 7-year-old Shlomo, was the most seriously hurt. He ruptured his liver and spleen after being tossed from the back seat of the rolling car.
Rowe’s wife, Chedva, who had been sitting up front, their two other children and Max were also hospitalized at the Albany Medical Center, all in stable condition.
“They’re hopeful for their son’s survival,” Rabbi Abe Friedman, a Brooklyn chaplain who consoled the family yesterday, said of Shlomo, whose condition had improved by late yesterday.
“They don’t know what triggered it,” Friedman said of the 1:46 a.m. wreck. “The car rolled several times. They were traumatized and can hardly remember what happened.”
Cops said Max Rowe was issued citations for not having his younger brother properly restrained in a child seat and for driving with “imprudent speed” considering the downpour.
Their Flushing neighbors were shocked to learn about the near-catastrophe but hailed the family’s relatively good fortune — particularly given the holiday season.
“If it was a serious accident, it is pretty miraculous, especially this time of year,” said Moisey Rafailov, a 20-year-old student.
Others noted that Eli Rowe is a fixture in the community and someone whose good works and generosity deserve to come back to his family in kind.
Rowe is a pilot who owns two planes and eagerly volunteered to provide medical help to victims of last year’s horrific earthquake in Haiti, they said.
He’s also affiliated with several nonprofits that host camps for sick children, according to online postings.
“When someone is in trouble, he’s the first one on the scene. Middle of the night, middle of the day, Sabbath doesn’t matter,” said neighbor Bob Lindenbaum, 58. “He really heads the whole community.”
Rowe reserved his praise for the Albany County Sheriff’s Office and the rapid first responders who helped his family.
Wow Eli Rowe is a really nice guy & if I’m not mistaking he was involved a lot this summer by the hurricane Iren in NV with his private plane,
And this story is just another small story what you can see Rabbi Friedmans great and hard work for our Community
Thank you Hashem. In the future a 17 year old should not be allowed to drive 6 people at 1:45am in a driving down pour on a dark highway. If that comment offends anyone, TOO BAD.
Why wasn’t the 7 year old restrained? This is such an important law and can save a life!
Time to be medakdek on venishmartem meod lenafshoseichem.
I’m driving to NY this week, and I can tell you one thing: at 1:30 a.m. I will be sleeping in a motel somewhere in Pennsylvania.
Folks, I’m certain that R’ Eli (who is a tzadik bedorosov) is well aware of what happened and why. There is really NO NEED whatsoever for us to be admonishing his actions in a public forum. Let us learn from the incident and thank the RBSH”O that everyone will be just fine. It’s the week of nissim after all.
Nice and helpful to immediately ‘remind’ people about seatbelts, etc. BH this family is publicly grateful for so many nissim, there are countless families forever indebted to them and all I can say is thank you Hashem!
I am very sorry for this family to be suffering. It is a miracle they were not killed or killed another family in another vehicle. However, Really? Their 17 year old was driving??? The youngest child not in a seat belt? This family maybe kind but not very bright. The Father is a paramedic and allowed his child to be without a seat belt???. Baruch Hashem they were not killed. Refua Shelama to them all.
“Considering five people were admitted to the hospital and none with critical injuries, it is a holiday miracle” “If it was a serious accident, it is pretty miraculous, especially this time of year”
Honestly?? Does this type of apikursos belong on a Jewish site?
There is no question in our minds, that the Holy neshama of Moshe Mattisyahu, whom you cared for like your own child, was watching over you, advocating to the
Master of the Universe to spare your special family. Our teffilos are, and always will be with you!! We love you and are forever grateful for your chessed!
Was this family in the Chalet Hotel for some summers many years ago? I remember someone Eli giving us rides in his ambulance while his cute little son Max entertained us!
July 25th 2011
Hagon Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel Shlita, the Rosh Yeshiva of the Mir Yerushalayim visited Regency Estates in Woodridge on Friday morning. The Rosh Yeshiva was flown from Baltimore to Sullivan County by private jet flown by veteran pilot – and Hatzolah Paramedic ELI ROWE. The Rosh Yeshiva spent Shabbos in Monsey, NY.
How is a kid supposed to get expirience. His parents were in the car. It was an accident. Did the 7 yr old remove his own seat belt just maybe?
JUST THIS WEEK; RASHI SAYS THAT “HASOTON MEGATRIK BSHAS HASKONE”, as to why Yakov did NOT send Benyomin to Mitzraim.
Remember “KOL HADROCHIM BECHESKAS S’KONO”
Every trip in a car is fraught with danger!
Carelessness is NOT an ACCIDENT; it is a deliberate act.
There is a reason why car rental companies dont rent do drivers under 25..Letting a 17 year old drive a family with kids is tottaly irresponsible and maybe oyver on Vnishmartem ess Nafshoysiechem…I know when the weather is slippery and wet and the spped limit is 55 i will do 45-50 and even less..A 17 year bucher can never think when it comes to a wheel like a responsible parent does..If the parents are tired to drive then you check into a motel and take a nights rest still much safer then sleeping over in the hospital rch”l….A freilichen Chanukah
To #13 - If one sees a deer in his path, it is best to hit it head on, rather than swerving to avoid it. Too many motorists make the mistake of swerving, and lose control of their cars, and suffer needless injuries, or worse. If a deer is hit head on, the car will be damaged, but that is better than getting killed. Regardless of the speed limit, if it is raining, common sense dictates that motorists should slow down. Otherwise, hydroplaning can easily result.
i truly find the after the fact reprimands nauseating. the fact that the son was driving was beshert. who is to say that had someone else been driving things could have trurned out worse?
we dont know. we are only human so i would respectuflly say ZIP IT!
B”H everyone survived , thank you Hashem!
Imprudent speed doesn’t mean the max. It’s an arbitrary decision. One minute they could be telling you you’re too slow, even under the circumstances. The next they can be telling you the same speed is to fast for the particular circumstances.
And not properly restrained in a child seat doesn’t mean the child wasn’t belted. It might also be an arbitrary decision as to whether the child is big enough to ride with a regular seat belt, or needs a booster. 7 year olds are often big enough for the car’s belt, though that may be viewed differently based on who’s at the scene.