SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - A South Florida teen experienced a special opportunity to reunite with three of the police officers who came to his rescue nearly seven months after he survived a crash that left him trapped inside his burning car.
An audience burst into applause at the Kendall Federation of Homeowners Association’s Police and Firefighters Awards Night, Tuesday, as Joseph Lopez approached the law enforcers responsible for the remarkable April 29 rescue.
7News cameras showed Lopez, 19, as he hugged Miami-Dade Officers Mauricio Loaiza, Carlos Ardila and Yaara Reeve.
Cellphone video of the wreck showed Lopez’s black Chevrolet sedan after, police said, it slammed into a tree and caught fire along Killian Parkway.
“The guy’s in there, and he’s getting burned up,” someone is heard saying in the video.
Good Samaritans raced to his rescue, and then four police officers attempted to render aid to the teen trapped inside.
“I was unconscious when the crash happened, so seeing the faces that saved me that day, along with the other civilians that also did help, that was just — it’s just amazing,” said Lopez.
Tuesday’s emotional meeting was months in the making.
“You do this job because you care, you want to save lives, and actually seeing that you made a difference and you saved someone’s life, it means a lot.” said Loaiza.
Lopez showed a 7News crew the scars from the third-degree burns he suffered.
“I got these right here on the arm, and I got one right here,” he said.
The teen has made leaps and bounds on his road to recovery since the fiery crash, and he said thanking his heroes has been an important step in the healing process.
“Yeah, it’s really amazing,” he said.
Lopez’s father, Manny Lopez, expressed his gratitude for the officers who pulled his son to safety.
“If it wasn’t for them, he would have died,” he said.
The memorable moments came at the end of the Police and Firefighters Awards Night, an event held in honor of South Florida first responders.
Loaiza, Ardila and Reeve said they didn’t think twice about running in and helping, and they’re just glad this story had a happy ending.
“This is what we signed up for, and to see him in one piece, it makes it all worth it,” said Reeve.
“I felt very honored,” said Ardila. “That’s the most we could do. We try to do it every day.”
Lopez spent two months in the hospital. After his release, he said, he was able to return to his job at Publix, where he received a promotion.
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