Danbury, May 2018: The Insanity, The Humanity

DANBURY, CT -- The month of May 2018 started out as an insanely lucky one in Danbury -- two local men won big Connecticut state lottery prizes, what were the odds? -- and insanely hopeful, as the city announced plans for a $30 million Danbury Transit Center and other improvements that could shave 40 minutes off the commute to NYC.

From there, things just went plain insane.

The Hollywood grapevine announced that the bad boys of Danbury hockey sports, the Danbury Trashers, would be the subject of a feature film. A United Hockey League expansion team viewed widely as the "most violent team in professional sports," the Trashers were the pride and joy of area hockey fans from 2004 to 2006, right up to about the time their owner was arrested on 72 various charges including racketeering, and sentenced to prison.

The Trashers may have been a bit extreme, but they had nothing on gynecologic oncologist Dr. Vaagn Andikyan. He and his team removed a 132-pound ovarian tumor from a woman at Danbury Hospital. The surgical team had to practice various scenarios in the two-week run-up to the surgery, as there was no data on the procedure of the type they were planning.

As usual, Hat City had its share of stabbings, DWIs, violent threats, weapons possessions, child porn possessions, drug charges, missing kids, and sports bar openings, but we switched it up a little bit with some mob-style action in the form of conspiracy to commit murder and third-degree attempted arson. The four Danbury gangsters involved were hired to torch an auto body shop in Bridgeport. They failed.

Danbury's police, fire and EMS crews engaged in the regular day-to-day heroics we take for granted throughout the beginning of May. Then they kicked it up more than a couple a notches when, just two days after our celebration of a Danbury mom and her lookalike daughters, the tornadoes came.

The first fatality in the killer storm that struck -- briefly, devastatingly -- during rush hour on Tuesday, May 15, was a Danbury man. It would be days before utility Eversource would restore power everywhere in town. During that time Danbury's emergency service and public administration personnel rose to the challenges, even as the Board of Education contemplated how to handle the likely possibility Danbury school children might have fewer class days than allowed by the state. In the waning days of May, officials scrambled in an attempt to assess the damage and attract FEMA disaster relief funds, while assisting neighboring communities to do the same.

There was sadness amidst the madness, too, as Danbury lost some of its more wise, fierce, stylish and stalwart residents.

Although there was plenty of time in May spent in reflection and navel-gazing (what other options do you have without internet or Netflix?), Danbury residents had more than their share of silver linings, too. The district hired a new assistant school principal for Danbury High, and our students, schools, and universities kept getting awards. Finally, Danbury was named among the most diverse cities in the U.S. -- and that's something to really crow about!

Image via Shutterstock.