Miami police officer honored for helping 3-year-old who suffered traumatic toe injury

MIAMI — Play time at a Miami park turned into a nightmare for a young family.

Miami Police Officer Rafael Perez-Valdivia raced to the rescue to help a 3-year-old who severed his toe in an e-bike accident after it got stuck in the rotor.

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It happened at Riverside Park in Miami’s Little Havana neighborhood on March 11.

“I grabbed my bandage, I had my own med kit, and started wrapping his foot,” said Perez-Valdivia.

Thanks to the quick actions of the officer, doctors were able to partially re-attach the boy’s toe.

After what could have been a life changing accident, the boy, who’s been slowly learning how to walk again, was able to thank the officer who saved him.

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“To see them come today it made my heart full,” said Perez-Valdivia.

The boy’s family was there for the reunion, calling Perez-Valdivia a hero.

The Miami Police Department recognized Perez-Valdivia for his quick response, naming him Officer of the Month.

“I put my head down and try to do the right thing,” he said. “I don’t think of myself as a hero, I just think of myself as someone who tries to do the right thing every day.”

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