Man takes ambulance to polls, votes on stretcher

HAVERTOWN, Pa. - November 4, 2010 (WPVI) -- A Philadelphia-area man didn't let an ambulance ride stop him from casting his vote.

83-year-old Doctor Charles Gorby says he never missed an election and wasn't going to miss this one.

"If you don't vote, then keep your mouth shut until the next election. You have no right to complain about anything with respect to government," Gorby said. After a two week hospital stay, Dr. Gorby was being taken by ambulance back to his home.

"I asked the gentleman operating the ambulance if they would favor me by visiting the polling place one block from my residence at the firehouse," Gorby said.

"I have a lot of respect for the elderly, I don't mind, especially when he said he was a World War II vet," EMT Daniel Breene said.

With Doctor Gorby in a stretcher, the EMT's pulled up in front of the polling site and he was ready to cast his vote.

"Oh, God, all of the people in line backed up, let me through, which isn't a surprise," Gorby said.

And even though casting his ballot did pose some challenges for the Havertown resident, with his legs sticking out of the curtain and all, he got the opportunity to continue his civic responsibilities despite the odds.

"I guess I've got a little bit of a quarterback in my personality, give me the ball, and say that's the goal line, get it over there," Gorby said.

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election, delaware county, pennsylvania, shirleen allicot, local/state

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