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A Hero’s Welcome: Injured Allendale Police Officer Mark Dunn Returns Home After Two Weeks in the Hospital

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photos courtesy of Carlstadt Police

the staff of the ridgewood blog

Carlstadt NJ, a beaming Melissa Dunn expressed her deep gratitude as her son, Officer Mark Dunn Jr., returned to their Carlstadt home on Saturday after a harrowing two-week stay at Hackensack University Medical Center. Dunn, a 24-year-old Allendale police officer, sustained severe injuries in a multi-car accident caused by a suspected drunk driver on Route 17 South.

“He certainly had an angel sitting on him,” Melissa said, reflecting on her son’s miraculous survival. “I’m so blessed that he is alive, and I’m blessed for the sea of people that love him, and his police family is out of this world. He has a long road ahead, but at least he has a road.”

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Dunn’s return home marked a significant milestone in his recovery, following multiple surgeries, including hand reconstruction, a nearly 10-hour pelvic surgery, and blood transfusions. He was severely injured on Oct. 5, while assisting a Saddle River officer with a traffic stop. A Range Rover, driven by Joseph Ford, 18, of New York City, lost control and rear-ended Dunn’s stopped patrol vehicle. The impact was so intense that Dunn’s car was shoved into two other vehicles, with Dunn slammed into a guardrail.

To celebrate Dunn’s discharge, police officers and first responders from surrounding towns, including Carlstadt, Saddle River, and Allendale, gathered for a “clap-out” at the hospital’s Helena Theurer Pavilion. The event included bagpipes and a parade of patrol cars and emergency vehicles that followed Dunn’s ambulance all the way to his home. Officers and neighbors greeted him with applause as he was lifted into a chair and carried up the steps of his house, a touching display of community support.

The driver responsible for the crash, Joseph Ford, was charged with driving while intoxicated and several counts of assault by auto. He reportedly fled the scene on foot but was apprehended by responding officers.

Throughout the ordeal, Dunn’s mother has shared updates on social media, crediting a special “angel” with saving her son’s life—her late sister, who passed away in 2020. “She didn’t have kids of her own, and she was obsessed with mine,” Melissa explained. “She was definitely sitting on his shoulder.”

Among those showing support for Dunn’s recovery was Andrew Magro, an officer with the Glen Rock Police Department, who once worked alongside Dunn as a dispatcher. “He’s a really good kid,” Magro said. “It was so terrible, what happened. Two weeks in the hospital is a long time, but we’re just happy to see him get home.”

Dunn, a graduate of Becton Regional High School in East Rutherford, has been with the Allendale Police Department for just over a year and a half. While his journey to full recovery is far from over—he faces another surgery for a fractured tibia in his right knee—his return home marks a hopeful step forward.

The welcome-home event also saw attendance from Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella and Carlstadt Mayor Bob Zimmermann, who emphasized the importance of community during Dunn’s recovery. “We’re all here for him and just happy that he was able to come home,” Zimmermann said.

 

 

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One thought on “A Hero’s Welcome: Injured Allendale Police Officer Mark Dunn Returns Home After Two Weeks in the Hospital

  1. Mark, welcome home – and thank you!!

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