L-R: Andy Weigel, President of the Southern New England Brotherhood Ride, presents a plaque to Patricia Nye and Thomas Nye Jr. on 8/9/20, honoring 12 first responders, including Thomas Nye Sr. of the Marion Fire Department, who died the morning after battling a fire last year. Photo by Glenn C. Silva.
By Beth David, Editor
The Southern New England Brotherhood Ride is only in its third year, and has been hit by the pandemic, just like every other event this year. But that did not stop organizers from holding the event, which honors first responders who paid the ultimate price in the past year in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. This year, 12 first responders were being honored from Thursday, 8/6 to 8/9.
A group of bicycle riders took to the streets and rode through more than 50 community, starting in Rochester. The all volunteer organization was established in 2019 as a chapter of the Brotherhood Ride of Florida. They are a team of active and retired firefighters, law enforcement officers and emergency medical technicians who ride bicycles to honor the memories of fallen first responders who suffered a line of duty death from the previous year.
This year, the riders took day trips because of the uncertainty of securing overnight accommodations.
Five cyclists with the Southern New England Brotherhood Ride make it down Point Road in Marion on Sunday morning, 8/9/20, on their way to the Marion Fire Station, where they presented a plaque to Patricia Nye and Thomas Nye Jr. honoring 12 first responders, including Thomas Nye Sr. of the Marion Fire Department, who died the morning after battling a fire last year. Photo by Glenn C. Silva.
This year’s honorees are:
Massachusetts
• FF/EMT Christopher J. Cornetta, N. Attleboro Fire Department
• Capt. Thomas F. Kenney, Hyannis Fire Department
• FF Thomas A. Nye, Sr., Marion Fire Department
• LT. LeRoi Rodriguez, Sr., Boston Fire Department
• LT. John R. Kennedy, Worcester Fire Department
• LT. Jason J. Menard, Worcester Fire Department
• FF Stephen M. Pina, Medford Fire Department
• Capt. Thomas M. Szpila, Easthampton Fire Department
• FF Kevin C. Welz, Springfield Fire Department
Connecticut
• FF Turker Aksoy, Westport Fire Department
• FF/Paramedic James C. Woodman, West Haven Fire Department
Rhode Island
• Capt. David S. Arnold, Narragansett Fire Department
Visit www.SNEBrotherhoodRide.com or find them on Facebook page at www/facebook.com/snebhr.
Members of the Marion Fire and Police Departments take a photo on 8/9/20 with Patricia Nye and her son Thomas Nye Jr. with cyclists from the Southern New England Brotherhood Ride, which honored 12 first responders this year, including Thomas Nye Sr. of the Marion Fire Department, who died the morning after battling a fire last year. Photo by Glenn C. Silva.
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