Volunteer of the Year

from Community Resource Guide 2023

Volunteer of the Year: Larry Brockway

(Continued from Page 4) asked about his individual contributions to the squad, Brockway stresses that the LPVAS is successful because of the teamwork behind its operations. LPVAS members ranging from from 18 years old to more than 70 years old come together to fill out state paperwork, respond to calls, serve big events like the Ironman Lake Placid triathlon and generally keep the LPVAS going through tough times.

“It’s kind of like a big group of people that all help each other out,” Brockway said Even though the LPVAS is made up of around 80% paid workers now, Brockway said, he’s one of the dozen or so volunteers left in the squad. That’s by choice he said he comes from a generation that was brought up to help people without expecting anything in return, and he’s all about serving his community

“Plus, volunteering is good for your soul,” he said Brockway enjoys the job as a lifelong Lake Placid resident, he said he likes knowing most everyone he sees on calls as well as taking care of tourists or people who are just passing through He said he’s seen almost everything during his 23 years, though he still hasn’t seen a baby being born That’s a bit of an unspoken goal for all LPVAS workers, he said they see people dying and suffering all the time while on the job, but they rarely get to see the start of a life.

“That’s, like, the highest honor,” he said Working with the LPVAS came with an early perk of meeting his future wife Heather Borachok was working as an ER tech at the hospital when Brockway joined the squad, and she sometimes joined the LPVAS on calls when the squad was short-handed Brockway can still recall an early morning at around 2 a m during his first year with the LPVAS when Borachok called him from the ER and said, “Hey, I’ve got a question for you. Are you ever going to ask me out on a date?”

They’ve been together ever since, building a family with two daughters and a son.

Borachok nominated Brockway as volunteer of the year. He joked that the nomination was one of the many “little secrets” she likes to keep from him He didn’t know he was chosen as volunteer of the year until reached by the Enterprise on Feb. 20 or that Borachok would gift herself a puppy this past Christmas.

“Many nights he responds to the citizens of our incredible town and gives them friendly, caring and gentle care He does this without complaint or reservation,” Borachok wrote of Brockway “Many know him and love him. He does this, not for the glory, not for the recognition, but because of the generous spirit he has ” Borachok, who is now an RN and still serves with the LPVAS, told the Enterprise about Brockway’s work ethic with the LPVAS that he often responds to calls even when he’s not on duty and his diligence in volunteering with the squad, especially through their family’s hardships over the last year

Brockway and Borachok’s youngest daughter, Miranda, suffered a nearly-fatal motorcycle accident after being t-boned by a car while riding last summer. Several parts of her body were broken in the crash, including her neck and her pelvis, rendering her unable to walk for months. She required constant care, and Brockaway and Borshack were always by her side on a rotating basis.

Miranda’s survival after the crash was remarkable in itself, according to Brockway, who said she came close to death a couple of times in recovery. Even more remarkable was the fact that, while in recovery, Miranda learned that she was pregnant during the crash and that her baby had survived, too

On Feb 20, Brockaway said Miranda was expecting to have her baby which appeared in perfect health on ultrasound scans on Feb 24

Throughout Miranda’s most intense months of recovery, Brockaway didn’t miss a beat with the LPVAS. Because he works the midnight to 6 a m shift, he could keep volunteering while looking after Miranda He said LPVAS members often came to help Miranda up the stairs or into the shower, too

Now that Miranda is anywhere from moments to days away from giving birth, Brockaway might finally get to fulfill his dream of seeing a baby being born while volunteering for the LPVAS.

57 Main Street • P.O. Box 1300 Saranac Lake, NY 12983-7300