MERIDEN - Dan M. Hunter, vice president of Hunter's Ambulance and Transportation Services, died early Wednesday morning at Hartford Hospital as a result of injuries he suffered in a motorcycle accident in East Hartford on Oct. 15.

Hunter's death shocked family and friends who maintained hope as he battled with severe head injuries suffered when his motorcycle collided with a car.

Former Mayor Mark D. Benigni, a close family friend, said he and others held out hope because they knew Hunter would have done the same for them.

"I think we all knew there was a chance he wouldn't make it and if he did, he may not have been the same," Benigni said Wednesday. "But he would have held out hope for us, and in his spirit it's impossible not to do the same for him.

"He was real. He made people better and I hope he's looking down on us from heaven now and realizing just how much of a difference he has made in all our lives," Benigni continued. "I will miss my friend, but will never forget who he was and what he stood for."

Hunter, 49, was injured after attending a veterans' ceremony at Rentschler Field in East Hartford. Police said he had just left the field when his motorcycle collided with a car at the intersection of Silver Lane and Simmons Road.

Police have not released additional details, and Officer Hugo Benettieri, East Hartford police spokesman, said that the case remains under investigation.

Raised in Meriden, Hunter leaves behind a close-knit group of family and relatives including his wife, Jeriann Hunter, and the couple's two children, D.J. and Chelsea. Everyone who spoke to the Record-Journal Wednesday said he was very close with his family and always put them first.

After graduating Platt High School, Hunter joined the family business in 1979. He started in the garage and eventually worked his way through the ranks before being named vice president, serving under his father Vern Hunter.

David Lowell, spokesman for Hunter's Ambulance, said in a brief statement Wednesday morning that family and company employees are grieving, but are thankful for the support they've received.

"The family would like to thank everyone for their support and prayers over the last two weeks," Lowell said. "It's been a tough two weeks, and the family has been appreciative of everything that friends and coworkers have done."

It comes as no surprise that so many people have expressed concerns about Hunter, said City Councilor Anthony D. Tomassetti. He said Hunter's death will leave a void in the community and that "a Meriden without Dan Hunter is impossible to imagine."

Hunter was known throughout the region for his work with the company and for his involvement with the Meriden Rotary Club, where he was immediate past president.

An avid rider, he was instrumental in organizing a motorcycle ride for multiple sclerosis in June that drew more than 200 riders despite 100 degree heat.

Hunter also played a significant role in helping Chris and Sarah Bourdon raise money to establish Adventure Hollow, a safety-enhanced playground recently opened in Hubbard Park.

When the Bourdon's lost their 1-year-old son Noah after he fell from a playscape in August of 2006, Chris Bourdon said it was Hunter who stepped up to make sure their dream of creating a barrier-free playground became a reality.

"We approached the Rotary Club while he was president to tell our story and ask for help. We expected to get $5,000 to $10,000 at most, but he was the one who told us to set the bar higher," Bourdon said. "He gave us a $50,000 endorsement, and without him, we may have had to wait 10 years to finish the project."

Adam Mosher, Meriden Rotary Club president, and Police Chief Jeffry Cossette each said that about three years ago Hunter also took the initiative to work with city police to enhance their Amber Alert system.

For every initiative that Hunter did in the public eye however, Mayor Michael S. Rohde and state Sen. Thomas P. Gaffey, one of Hunter's lifelong friends, said he did several other things behind the scenes.

Both men said they were devastated by the news of his death, and added that they had never seen him without a smile.

"Meriden has lost someone who has truly represented what it means to be a humanitarian," Rohde said. "He is a leader who inspired others to give, and he had a way of always looking at the big picture. Dan was a man that was bigger than life in Meriden."

Family will receive relatives and friends at St. Joseph's Church, 159 W. Main St. in Meriden, from 3 to 7 p.m. on Sunday. Funeral services will be held at the church Monday at 11 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that gifts in his memory be sent to the Dan M. Hunter Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o Wallingford Funeral Home, 809. N. Main St. Ext., Wallingford, CT, 06492.

jvallee@record-journal.com

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