Project Brief: Tow It All
Logline:
An impressive career in the towing industry landed Russ in the International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame. Tragically, Russ’ oldest son Corey lost his life working in the family business that Russ built.
Synopsis:
When Russ Iodice got his first tow truck in 1959, he had to explain to people what he could do with it before he started getting the opportunity to use his new wrecker. He quickly became the go to guy in Connecticut for complicated recovery jobs. Russ, his wife Pat and 4 of their kids built an empire in the 1980s. He raised his sons Corey and Chris to work side by side with him teaching them everything they would come to know about towing. Corey became a highly skilled heavy duty wrecker recovery specialist, one of the best in the industry dedicated to implementing roadside safety measures for himself and others in the towing industry.
In 1995, Russ Iodice was inducted into the International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame for his remarkable accomplishments and his innovative contributions to the state of Connecticut and the international towing and recovery industry. When Russ retired, Corey and Chris took over the family business. In a horrible turn of events, after over 50 years in the industry, Corey (the guy who preached and practiced safety, daily) was struck and killed while helping a disabled motorist on April 22,2020.
Director’s Statement
First-born son, Corey was raised in the Iodice family towing business. He loved the challenging nature of towing and recovery so much so that he opted out of high school so he could work fulltime alongside his father, Russ. As a lifelong towing and recovery specialist he was well respected for his abilities to execute any recovery job regardless of the circumstances. Local first responders that had opportunity to be on the same scene and see Corey in action tell remarkable stories about how Corey would show up at a horrific or seemingly challenging crash and execute the job effortlessly and professionally. He was known as a man of few words. Unlike younger brother Chris who would arrive on scene and spend time shaking hands and exchanging greetings with the other first responders, Corey would immediately start assessing the situation and developing a plan for getting the job done. He was an anomaly in the towing industry, considered by most to be in the top 1% in skill set, and a consummate professional who was widely known as the guy who made safety his top priority. In the 1980s Corey began to develop safety protocols to be utilized when working roadside situations. He was using yellow and orange vests, safety cones, and reflective tape ahead of the towing industry. He even developed his own written guidelines and eagerly shared his self-taught techniques with anyone else in towing. He was known to stop on the side of the road to help a less experienced driver navigate a tricky recovery job.
Corey learned everything he knew from Russ, and he exemplified the knowledge his father imparted on him throughout his own career. Corey took pride in working side by side with his youngest brother Chris (whom he mentored) and their father Russ (who mentored him) during countless emergency situations for the Fairfield Police, Fairfield Fire and Connecticut State Police. In 1991, Corey, Chris and Russ were each awarded a Civilian Service Medal from the town of Fairfield for saving the life of a victim involved in a horrific crash on Interstate 95.
When Corey was killed by a driver who failed to Slow Down and Move Over the medical examiner wrote in his report that “Corey’s injuries at the scene were unsurvivable.” On December 17, 2020, Russ succumbed to Covid-pneumonia. Father and son are now buried together in the cemetery down the street from their home alongside Interstate 95 where they spent decades working side by side keeping the highway open and safe for the driving public.
Russ Iodice achieved the highest recognition in the towing industry when he was inducted into the International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame in 1995. Twenty-five years later, Corey’s name was added to the Wall of the Fallen memorial outside of the International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame Museum. This marks the first time in the history of towing that a father and son have been honored and remembered this way.
Approach
The story will be told through the recollections of the main character Russ, who was a pioneer of Connecticut’s towing industry. Russ talks about his six decades in the towing business highlighting the trajectory of the industry from its early days to what it has become today. The narration will be supplemented by the remarkable private collection of imagery from the family archives spanning back to the 1960’s. This film will incorporate interviews, archival materials: newspaper articles, photographs, moving images all amassed throughout many decades of the family business.
After Russ and Corey’s tragic passing in 2020, we interviewed friends and colleagues who knew and worked with Russ and Corey throughout their careers. The film will open with the funeral of legend Russ Iodice, recount his illustrious career alongside his two sons. The tragic ending to Corey’s life will be examined through the dangers, although always present, more pronounced today than ever for those providing roadside assistance to the driving public.
