Retired fire marshal sacrifices to help: Olkowski struck by driver, loses leg, after stopping to assist in crash

Still hospitalized after undergoing six surgeries — including the amputation of his left leg and attempt to correct severe damage to his right arm and hand — Olkowski said he’s no longer sure what his future has in store. Yet despite being severely affected by the tragedy, the altruistic 61-year-old said he can’t imagine having done anything differently.

“I don’t think I’m anyone special. I just think that’s who we are as Americans — to help each other no matter what. Whether it’s in public service or just helping a neighbor. I’d probably do it again, people need to be helped,” Olkowski said. “I learned that in the fire service, it’s delivering help without regard for getting rewarded or anything else. It’s just for people to survive, that’s what we need to do.”

The fatal accident on around 1 p.m. on State Route 395 just south of Lind, Washington, included a 64-year-old woman who died from her injuries just last Friday, a 45-year-old man who was uninjured, a sheriff’s deputy who was involved in a solo crash immediately nearby and a 19-year-old man who struck Olkowski while reportedly trying to avoid a semi-truck, according to Washington State Trooper Jeff Sevigney.

“I came upon a car accident which involved a trooper and it was clear that he needed help. I offered my assistance and so that’s what I was doing. Setting up some warning flares and in route to check out the vehicle that had injured people in it. A vehicle came towards me and didn’t leave me any option of jumping out of the way and nailed me. After that, that’s all I know about it,” Olkowski said. “This has changed my life, just in a split second. I really don’t know what my path is. … I don’t know how to plan out my life now, it’s going to take a while to figure out.”

Although Olkowski’s injuries were originally reported to have been caused by a hit-and-run driver, Sevigney said there was confusion among the chaos of the crash and the 19-year-old who struck the retiree with his 1989 Toyota 4Runner SUV stayed on scene and admitted his involvement.

News of Olkowski’s injuries sparked an outpouring of support from his former co-workers and even Washington firefighters.

Olkowski’s 30-year career included a decade as San Mateo’s fire marshal before he retired in 2004. San Mateo fire Capt. Jeff Barile recalled meeting his friend Olkowski nearly 20 years ago.

“I was really impressed at that time by his commitment and his sense of duty is just overwhelming. You have people that do stuff for people because of self-motivation. Paul was never one of those guys. He was always there to help out, make the organization better and the public safer,” Barile said.

“I wasn’t surprised when I learned he pulled over to help when other people would have kept driving by. He’s a really committed guy and everyone was just absolutely floored when they heard about what happened. They were just devastated,” Barile said.

Sylvia Cabellon, a retired San Mateo fire inspector, said she hopes more people will coalesce to help him in his time of need.

“It’s going to be a rough road for him. He’s a tough guy, but he needs support,” Cabellon said. “I don’t know the pain he’s in, but I know it’s changed his entire life. Physically of course, mentally and I know it’s going to be really tough emotionally.”

Olkowski, who was living in Sonora and searching for retirement properties at the time of his accident, said he’s grateful for his family who’ve rallied around him.

“My life plan was to relocate out of California, where it’d be less expensive and my family could come to a cabin kind of place. I’ve had some other health issues the last year, I just had open heart surgery, so it was time to find some piece of serenity where I could reflect on all the good things in my life,” Olkowski said.

With the medical bills piling up and a long road of physical therapy ahead, Olkowski’s granddaughter started a GoFundMe campaign where people can donate to support him.

Although Olkowski wouldn’t consider himself an extraordinary individual, he said those in fire service share a calling to assist those in need.

“I worked with some good people in the San Mateo Fire Department, there’s a lot of heroes there that the community has no idea that they’re there. But if they weren’t there, that’s when people would notice,” Olkowski said.

Barile and Cabellon said the tragic accident has affected those who knew and shared values with the retired fire marshal who sacrificed to help others.

“It does speak to his character and who he is and how he did his job and he continued, off duty and even retired, he’d still step up and do things. He’s a good guy,” Barile said. “It’s all about character. I guess it could be his legacy that he left with the department [as to] why the outpouring is so incredible. He’s just a selfless guy.”

For more information about Paul Olkowski or to donate to the Band Together for Paul by the Olkowski Family visit www.gofundme.com/ra9yhw.

samantha@smdailyjournal.com

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