The Bayonne Medical Center hosted a ceremony dedicating their Emergency Department Ambulance Bay, as well as a plaque, to the late H. Mickey McCabe, the founder of the local ambulance company that still bears his name.
By Daniel Ulloa/Hudson County View
McCabe, 76, who founded McCabe Ambulance Services in 1973, died in June.
Bayonne Hospital Chief Medical Officer Dr. Alfredo Rabines said the company “touched the lives of countless individuals in our community. Mickey, the heart and soul of McCabe Ambulance, is a beacon of compassion, resilience, and unwavering commitment to the well-being of others.”
According to Rabines, McCabe started the company driving one ambulance himself in Bayonne and was on-call 24/7 until 1979, when he acquired a fleet of ambulances. In 1999, his son joined the company and they expanded it.
“We, at CarePoint Health, started our association with Mickey in 2008, and it’s still going strong. He has instilled in each member of our team the importance of treating every patient with dignity, respect, and utmost care,” he explained.
CarePoint President and CEO Dr. Achintya Moulick expressed regret that McCabe was no longer with us to see the recognition, noting that he had met him about three-and-a-half years ago.
“It’s sad to see his picture in front of me but not him himself,” CarePoint President and CEO Dr. Achintya Moulick said.
“He gave his life for the community. He gave his life serving the people during 911, and he gave his life to the people of Bayonne serving the people here. We feel indebted that Bayonne hospital had such a great soldier. We hope that his spirit lives on in this hospital forever.”
Bayonne Mayor Jimmy Davis said that McCabe was a shy, quiet guy who did not like publicity so a public dedication ceremony actually wouldn’t have been up his alley.
“Nobody has done more with their life with helping others than mm. He dedicated his whole life to the city of Bayonne, to the County of Hudson, and to the State of New Jersey. And when 9/11 happened, he went over to New York City every single day to make sure people were safe,” Davis recalled.
He also recounted a story about how McCabe always wanted to be a police officer, but back in his youth, there was a certain height requirement that he couldn’t meet even with shoe lifts, a story that drew laughter from the crowd on hand.
“He would tell you the whole thing. But that didn’t discourage Mickey from turning around and doing what he did just for the people of Bayonne before he moved on to the county, the state, and the tri-state area,” the mayor continued.
“Mickey was all Bayonne. If you meet someone from Bayonne, they have that little chip on their shoulder because they’re from Bayonne. For the rest of their life, they’ll tell you they’re from Bayonne. So I’m just glad to be here today.”
Michael McCabe is President and CEO of McCabe Ambulance President and CEO Michael McCabe, Mickey’s son, was on hand as well. He is also the chief paramedic of the Emergency Medical Service for the City of Bayonne as part of their ongoing partnership.
“It’s an honor to be here today to accept this on my father’s behalf. The outpouring of love and support for my father and everything that he has done over the years is certainly not lost on any of us,” Michael McCabe stated.
He joked that his father probably would’ve have said the plaque was not big enough, drawing some more laughter from the crowed.
“What my father was passionate about was Bayonne from 1973 on. This is where he made his home. He’ll tell you Bayonne hospital was everything to him. It’s where he met my mother,” Michael McCabe added, vowing to carry on his values for community service.
“This was everything to him. I know he’s looking down, and he’s super, super proud.”
