CLEVELAND — For the first time in nearly a decade, the Cleveland Fire Department held a Promotional Ceremony Monday morning at Cleveland Public Auditorium. 115 firefighters received new ranks.
There are now six new assistant chiefs, 24 new battalion chiefs, 20 new captains and 65 new lieutenants. One of the captains promoted to battalion chief is Ghadi Cole.
“It’s bittersweet, I always wanted to be a chief,” he said.
Bittersweet because in May 2023, his life changed in an instant.
“I had multiple broken bones, 10 brain bleeds, a fractured skull, a severed spinal cord,” he said.
He was off duty riding his motorcycle in Oakwood when police say a drunk driver slammed into him at a red light. He was thrown more than 50 feet from his bike, which led to months of rehabilitation and recovery.
“The treatment process is pretty much over. I’m just trying to learn to adapt and adjust to life in a wheelchair,” he explained.
Family and friends have been by his side since the accident. “He has made tremendous progress,” said Claudette Cole, Ghadi’s mom.
His family and friends, including Greg Glauner, were at the ceremony on Monday. Glauner is Brunswick Fire Chief. But before that, he spent more than 30 years with the Clevland Fire Department.
“It wouldn’t be the same without him,” said Cole.
With tears in his eyes, Cole explained that Glauner was by his side at the hospital and then when he came home. That’s when he said Glauner found and assembled a portable shower for him.
“If he only knew how much it meant to me. You know, I appreciate him more than he could ever know,” said the 22-year veteran of the department.
“I wanted him to know I cared about him and supported him,” said Glauner.
A bond formed years ago in a firehouse, a friendship celebrated on Monday.
“Even in the hospital, even in his worst hours he was talking about getting better and coming back to work,” explained Glauner.
A celebration of the firefighter on Monday, of his determination, his resilience and his love of helping people.
Claudette told her son, “What you will do for people throughout the world is just unimaginable, you’re the first, probably the first paraplegic firefighter in the world."
Cole will be the Battalion Chief of scheduling. He starts his new job on Tuesday.
