> At a Glance
> – Emily Gindele, 26, completed firefighter training 2+ years after crash that killed boyfriend Colin Reedy
> – The couple hydroplaned while responding to alarm in October 2023
> – Gindele overcame spinal fracture, brain injury, stroke to return to duty
> – Why it matters: Shows resilience of first responders who risk everything to serve their communities
A Pennsylvania woman who nearly died in a 2023 car crash that killed her firefighter boyfriend has achieved her dream of becoming a certified firefighter, returning to the same department where they both volunteered.
The Crash That Changed Everything
On October 20, 2023, Gindele and Reedy were speeding through a storm to answer an alarm when their vehicle hydroplaned and slammed into a tree. The impact killed Colin Reedy and left Gindele with catastrophic injuries.
Emergency responders had to use the “jaws of life” to extract her from the mangled wreckage. She spent over a month hospitalized with:
- Spinal fracture
- Traumatic brain injury
- Stroke
- Broken ribs
> “If the firefighters and the paramedics didn’t work as diligently as they did, I would probably not be here,”
Emily Gindele told the Red Cross in May 2024.
Road to Recovery
The physical recovery was only part of the battle. Gindele revealed that Reedy had planned to propose in summer 2024.
> “He was just the goofiest person ever,” she remembered. “He would make everyone laugh – always the loudest person in the room.”
Despite her grief and injuries, Gindele set her sights on returning to the West Whiteland Fire Company in Exton, Pennsylvania. Last October, she officially returned to active duty, starting the rigorous entry-level firefighter program.
Graduation Day
On January 7, Gindele’s perseverance paid off when she graduated from the firefighter training program after completing 170+ hours of instruction. Both her parents and Reedy’s parents attended the ceremony.
> “I never thought I would see this day,”
Gindele told WPVI. “I’m so excited I can finally do it… I did it, and I worked really hard to get here.”
> “Colin would be so proud of me,” she added. “I’m really excited to see where my life goes, and I feel like I haven’t been able to say that in a really long time.”
Key Takeaways
- Gindele returned to duty exactly two years after the fatal crash
- She completed over 170 hours of firefighter training
- Both families attended her graduation ceremony
- Captain Mark Vitanza Jr. called her “an inspiration to us all”
Gindele’s journey from crash survivor to certified firefighter demonstrates the unbreakable spirit of first responders who serve their communities despite personal tragedy.
> “I think about him all the time… No one is going to replace him. I miss him a lot,” she said of Reedy.
