New Rochelle Fire Fighter Intoxicated at Time of Death

Kathleen Allard December 12, 2012 at 09:49 pm

Thank god he didn't take another life along with his with this reckless decision to operate a boat while intoxicated. It's especially frustrating that someone an emergency responder who probably has seen the effects of drunk driving in many accidents should go and do this himself. I hope his loss is a lesson for anyone who hears this story. DO NOT DRIVE DRUNK. Car, boat, bike, whatever.

scott hauser December 12, 2012 at 10:00 pm

We have known Keith's family for years, and they are really good people.
Why is this breaking news ? Your timing on this story is God Awful ! The press has become as shameful as it could ever be.

Hailey Conte December 12, 2012 at 11:33 pm

Dear Kathleen and whomever else plans on posting negative comments for public view,
Take a moment to think before you comment. The fact is no one was hurt, but the heartache that the family and THOUSANDS of friends Keith left behind is unbearable. For those of you who did not have the pleasure of knowing Keith Morris, I will let you in on what Media is leaving out. Keith was a son surviving by two incredibly selfless parents, a big brother to his two siblings and a friend to more people than I could possibly even begin to name. Keith dedicated his life to his job a proud Firefighter for the NRFD. He dedicated his life running into burning buildings to save the lives of others. Keith was also involved in many charities, he would truly give you the shirt off his back. There are no words that can express how devastating Keith's death has been to the New Rochelle community and all of those he left behind. He was a true hero and loved by everyone that he knew. Our lives are forever changed. So please take a moment to remember or learn all the good he has done that reporters and news casters have failed to report before making comments about a fallen hero.

Kathleen Allard December 12, 2012 at 11:54 pm

My sister and her friend were both hit by a drunk driver in 1988, so your comment works both ways. As someone who has suffered the effects of a drunk driver, I feel my comment was justified. I was not harsh or overly critical, I said it was a shame and that thank god no one else died tragically. I'm not trying to start an internet war with you, but I feel very strongly about drunk drivers, be they in a car or a boat. I think my comment was polite but had a valid point.

Michele Costa December 13, 2012 at 02:34 am

I'm sorry Kathleen but I do feel your comment was harsh. I can understand your feelings due to the circumstance with your sister. No where did you say it was a shame. You state that Keith was reckless and as a firefighter he should have known better. I have a problem with that. Keith was a wonderful person and a professional firefighter.

Kathleen Allard December 13, 2012 at 03:11 am

I said it was frustrating, but the intention was that it was a shame. It's not critical to say he was reckless (your word, not mine) but it's a fact. I'm sorry for his family and in no way does my post take away from what he accomplished in his life. The whole shame (or frustrating thing) of this story is that alcohol led to a bad thing happening, and I said I hope it's a lesson for others. Every day people are hurt and killed by drunk drivers and the message can not be repeated enough since obviously even emergency responders are not immune to falling prey to drinking and driving. The NYPD officers recently in the news, and today the national news even featured a DUI officer in Colorado got arrested for DUI! A valuable lesson can come out of this tragedy if people will be reminded to not drink and drive because being drunk makes people do things they normally wouldn’t do, even heros.

Nummy December 13, 2012 at 03:15 am

So you saying driving intoxicated is okay and not reckless if your a wonderful person and a professional firefighter, I have a problem with that and Kathleen Allard was right he should of know better. although her better point was "Thank god he didn't take another life"

Susan Mea December 13, 2012 at 02:07 pm

I agree with Kathleen. My sympathy goes out to Keith and his family, especially this tme of year.
If you want to be reckless with your own life - so be it. However, the moment you put other people in your boat, car, plane, etc. you should be more responsible as to not intoixicate youtself and put them at risk. I am sure that that was not this young man's intention, its been my experience, especially with men, that they are still capable of driving when they drink. Its a shame this hard lesson had to be learned in such a tragic way.

Michele Costa December 13, 2012 at 04:37 pm

Nummy I am sorry that you would even consider my response to Kathleen an approval to drive intoxicated. It is not. I only felt her wording in stating his decision was reckless was harsh. We have all learned a lesson in this tragedy. As we all know the choices we make day in and day out, good or bad have an effect. That is the lesson learned. Let us not forget this but keep his spirit alive by remembering his bravery to our citizens as a member of NRFD and his charitable work.

Michael Woyton (Editor) December 13, 2012 at 04:54 pm

I understand why you feel this way, but the state of Connecticut released the information this week and New Rochelle Patch was not alone in reporting it. You may not like it, but it is news.

stephany December 14, 2012 at 05:12 am

" I will let you in on what Media is leaving out"
your statement implies they left it out deliberately..how can they leave out something they are unaware of or should they have done an in depth review of his life because of his job... btw did he do his job better than every other nr fireman that worked with him? .25 is not intoxicated it is blitzed, the fact that he could even function attests to some tolerance for alcohol.and if the statistics hold up it was not his first time. if he was driving a car "in traffic" he may have actually killed someone i really hope i do not see the family going after the crab shell for $$$..nobody forced it down his throat. i wonder how he was getting home-like did he drive to the boat and was therefore going to drive home or did he not drive because he knew not to.

stephany December 14, 2012 at 05:20 am

" You state that Keith was reckless and as a firefighter he should have known better. I have a problem with that"
what problem. this only made the paper because he was a fireman and most likely was at numerous dwi accident scenes --at least one anyway. btw i am not happy about this as some will undoubtedly imply, but since i, like most people, did not know him so i cannot feel the sorrow you all feel.. i would not expect you to feel sorry if it was my retired manager of a husband either. leave the job out of it.. he was off duty and driving a boat.

Marbix0219 December 14, 2012 at 01:58 pm

I did know Keith personally, for the majority of our lives thus far actually. Keith was a wonderful person who was always up for a laugh or to be a clown to offer you a laugh. His family are all very sweet, generous people and I feel for them in this time of sorrow that will truly never go away but it will become manageable. I don't believe that you have to know an individual personally to feel sorrow for them or their loved ones regardless of poor judgment in situations. I know I am not perfect and that I have made some silly decisions in my life, thankfully I have come out the other side. This doesn't make me a better/worse person than the individuals who didn't come out the other side, this makes me LUCKY. This is news and I understand that in our world of all forms of media, this "HAS" to be reported. For this fact alone, I respect the story since it did not cast any judgment on him as an individual, it simply reported a fact. Take from it what you will, but be assured of one thing... Keith was a gentle, sweet, funny & caring man with a true sense of living in every moment as it came. "Every man dies, not every man really lives"

Marbix0219 December 14, 2012 at 02:19 pm

For the record, you did say reckless:
"Thank god he didn't take another life along with his with this reckless decision to operate..." Not arguing at all, just want it to be clear.

Marbix0219 December 14, 2012 at 02:29 pm

Stephany - "i really hope i do not see the family going after the crab shell for $$$..nobody forced it down his throat."
This was a really ugly thing for you to say regardless if you knew this man or not. But it's truly obvious that you clearly have no idea who this man was or who his family is.

Kelly December 15, 2012 at 12:50 am

At the end of the day a young life was lost. A community suffered a loss unimaginable despite how that loss occurred. For our community to be so caught up in such an irrelevant piece of information, and I MEAN IRRELEVANT, AS KEITH IS SADLY NO LONGER WITH US on a day where 28 people, INNOCENT children, by A CALCULATING MURDERER were taken is sickening. Keith's BAC level is neither here nor there today, as he is not here. Keep his memory alive, his story in your hearts, and learn from it. Pay attention to what does really matter, like YOUR CHILDREN, AND HAVING THE FEAR OF GOD INSTILLED IN GOING TO SCHOOL!!! KEITHS FAMILY HAS TO MOVE ON FROM THEIR LOSS AND YOU ALL WITH YOUR NEGATIVE OPINIONS NEED TO MOVE ON AS WELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Elizabeth December 17, 2012 at 04:23 pm

He was drunk. He was driving. He was an adult. He took the lives of himself and three other people into his own hands. Thankfully, as cruel as it sounds, he didn't take any other lives with him. Unfortunately, it really doesn't matter that he was nice, generous, a fireman, or a humanitarian; it has nothing to do with the fact that he made a drastic mistake that took his own life. The entire situation is negative but we should all be hopeful that someone learns from this tragedy. Wonderful people make mistakes, unfortunately they are not the only people that pay for them sometimes. It does't make them horiible, terrible people. It makes them a statistic. A lesson to be learned and hole in someones heart.