Fox Lake paramedic critically hurt in motorcycle crash

Once hailed a hero for helping with the search and rescue mission following the 2001 World Trade Center attack, Fox Lake paramedic Ron Rascia is in intensive care after a motorcycle accident outside Fox Lake, Lake County Sheriff officials confirmed.

Rascia, 45, of Spring Grove, was traveling west on State Park Road at a high rate of speed Sunday night when he tried to turn left onto Route 12 and lost control of his 2005 Harley Davidson, Sgt. Timothy Jonites said Monday. Rascia fell and slid across the intersection and into a curb in the westbound lanes of Route 12.

He was taken by Flight for Life helicopter to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, where he is in critical condition, Jonites said. It's unknown if Rascia was wearing a helmet.

Rascia was one of several Chicago-area firefighters who headed to New York following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. He has been a member of the Fox Lake Fire Department for the last nine years and a volunteer fire department member for more than 20 years.

His time at the World Trade Center was chronicled by the Daily Herald after he returned home from New York.

"I saw things I hope I'll never have to see again," Rascia said at the time. "The first thing I did when I got there was cry. Then I got down to work."

Rascia, who drove to New York with three members of the Chicago Fire Department on Sept. 17, 2001, served seven days on a bucket brigade during the search and rescue effort. They dug through dirt and debris for 12 hours a day.

"Those firefighters, the ones at Ground Zero for the last two weeks, they look like zombies - going on only hours of sleep and busting their butts to do whatever they can," Rascia had said. "We can never forget what those guys have done for our country. We can never forget what happened here."

Fox Lake Fire Chief Ron Hoehne said the entire department is "praying for him" and looking forward to a complete recovery.

"He is a great firefighter and paramedic," Hoehne said. "So, we are definitely hoping for the best and his full return."