Township honors 12-year-old hero
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Matthew Perricone, center, accepts a proclamation from Mayor Bettina Bieri. On the right is Billy Gaffney, Matthew’s friend who broke his leg while skiing with Matthew. Photo by Linda Smith Hancharick.
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Matthew Perricone kept his composure, stayed with his buddy on ski slope until help arrived
West Milford - He may look like your ordinary 12-year-old boy, but Matthew Perricone is a pretty special kid.
That's not news to his mom, Susan. She's always known it. What Matthew did just a few weeks ago when he was skiing with his buddy, Billy Gaffney, has many adults marveling at his composure and maturity.
The Westbrook Elementary School students were part of a seven-week ski program at Mt. Peter in Warwick. They had just finished the program and were enjoying family night at the ski slopes. Matthew and Billy were coming down the mountain when Matthew saw that his friend lost control.
"He sped past me with one ski off the ground and he was very wobbly," said Matthew.
Billy ended up off the slope, hitting some padding on the side and wrapping himself around a pole.
It was what Matthew did next that caught the attention of just about everyone who heard about it. He stopped on the slope, took off his skis, and made his way over to his buddy. He saw that Billy was hurt pretty badly, but instead of panicking or leaving, Matthew made his way down the incline to his friend and calmly lay down on his stomach and talked to him.
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"All that went through my mind was stay with him and keep him conscious," said Matthew. "I was just trying to make sure he was staying conscious."
One of the dads who was skiing saw Matthew's skis on the slope, according to Matthew's mom, and went looking for him. It was just a matter of minutes, but to Matthew, those were long minutes.
The buddy rule
One of the first things Matthew and Billy learned before hitting the slopes was the buddy rule.
"The first rule and most important was always stay with your buddy," wrote Matthew to the township council. "Those words were instilled in everyone's mind, especially mine. But I never thought that rule would be so important to me and my friend Billy Gaffney."
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When the ski patrol came to take Billy off the mountain, Matthew put his skis back on and went down the mountain. He knew he had to let Billy's mom know what happened before the ski patrol brought him down, and he knew he had to keep his composure for her sake.
"He went into the lodge, not excited at all, and told Billy's mom that Billy was hurt but that he would be okay," said Susan. "He told me he had to put on a brave face."
Billy was taken to St. Anthony Community Hospital. He had broken his femur in three places. He was moved to Westchester Medical Center where a rod was inserted into his leg. He's been having physical therapy for the past six weeks and is due back to school on Monday, which makes Matthew very happy.
"I've really missed him."
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And where did Matthew learn to keep an injured person talking so they don't lose consciousness?
"I've seen it on TV," he said.
When Billy came home from Westchester, his family invited Matthew over for dinner—his favorite—Pampered Chef tacos.
Township Council proclamation
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Sal Schimmenti is a friend of the Perricone family and also a township councilman. When he heard what Matthew did, he asked him to write, in his own words, what happened on the slopes and why he did what he did. Schimmenti read Matthew's words to the council last week, just before the council presented Matthew with a commendation for his quick thinking and his bravery.
Susan said her son was very excited that the township council was giving him a proclamation for what he did, although, like most true heroes, he was a bit modest about it.
"I really don't think I did anything extraordinary," wrote Matthew. "I was just following the rules and I will never forget how I helped my ‘ski buddy.'"
Most everyone else has a different view of it, including his very proud mom.
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"He is very aware of things," said Susan. "He's just extremely extraordinary."
That he is. And a wonderful buddy, too.
Editor's note: To read Matthew's entire essay on The Buddy Rule, please click here.
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