WSVN — Last week, we brought you the story of an off-duty police officer who rescued a teen from drowning. The officer was hospitalized and was never able to meet the family he helped. Well, now that’s changed. Rosh Lowe has the reunion in tonight’s edition of The Lowedown.
Aventura Police Sgt. Bobby Myers: “Happy Mothers Day, darling.” (hugs Yolanda)
Yolanda Martinez: “Thank you.”
Sgt. Bobby Myers: “Come here, kid. (hugs Raynaldo) How are you doing?”
Raynaldo Martinez: “Good.”
A grandmother and an Aventura Police sergeant embrace. It is a hug they thought might never happen.
Yolanda Martinez: “There are just no words that really can express how we feel. We are so grateful. You are in our prayers every night. We will forever, forever have you in our minds because of this.”
This is the first time they are meeting since a day in March that will forever connect them. On that day, Yolanda Martinez took her grandchildren to the beach near the Haulover Inlet.
Thirteen-year-old Raynaldo was caught in a rip current.
Yolanda Martinez: “My sense of vulnerability, not being able to swim out there and pull him in. The frustration was so great.”
Fishermen: “Try to relax. Help is on the way.”
Sgt. Bobby Myers was off-duty at the time, enjoying the day, surfing with a GoPro camera attached to his board. That camera was rolling as Raynaldo was drowning. You can see and hear people crying for help.
Raynaldo Martinez: “The water, like, pulled me back farther.”
Rosh Lowe: “And at that moment, what were you thinking?”
Raynaldo Martinez: “I thought I was going to die, because I kept sinking in. I was thinking, ‘Is this how life ends?'”
Life did not end — because Myers jumped in the water and saved his life.
But the officer never got to meet the family, because he too, needed help after the rescue. He was rushed to the hospital after collapsing on the beach.
Yolanda Martinez: “We get there and we see this ambulance. Obviously it’s not for my grandson, because my grandson is by my side. And all of a sudden, I see that he’s sitting in there, you know, they’re taking his vital signs, and I scream out, ‘Oh, my God, this is the gentleman that tried to save my grandson’s life!'”
Ever since that day in March, Yolanda, this grandmother of seven children, always wondered who was this man who saved her grandchild. And then Bobby Myers shared his story, and her prayers were answered.
Last week, Yolanda’s daughter called her.
Yolanda Martinez: “I said, ‘What do you mean it’s on the news?’ She says, ‘Yes. Go to Channel 7.'”
The Lowedown told the story of the rescue.
Sgt. Bobby Myers: “Your only focus is just to save that life.”
Myers hoped that one day he could meet the family he helped.
Yolanda Martinez (to Myers): “And we just got together in a circle and just prayed, and our prayers were answered.”
Sgt. Bobby Myers: “Oh, that’s wonderful. Come here.” (hugs Yolanda)
Yolanda Martinez: “So thank you, thank you.”
Sgt. Bobby Myers: “You’re very welcome. You’re very welcome.”
Officer Myers brings Ray and Yolanda to meet his second family, his fellow officers at the Aventura Police Department, who are all watching this reunion take place.
Yolanda Martinez: “Nice to meet you. Thank you. You guys are always on the line, and we really appreciate everything you do. You’re like our war heroes. There are so many good stories, so many heroic people, courageous people, who do very kind things every single day.”
And, everyone would agree, Sgt. Myers is one of those heroes. In Aventura, Rosh Lowe, 7News.
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