One sleepy 6 am morning every woman’s worst nightmare unfolded. Cameras captured a woman sporting a backpack walking down the deserted street of East Las Olas Boulevard toward the beach when suddenly, a shirtless man ran up behind her.
Right place at the right time
According to Local 10 News, the man grabbed her, choked her, and then slammed her on the ground before beginning to drag her.
Fortunately for the woman, they weren’t alone. Construction worker Edwin Zamora was sitting in his truck when her screams jolted him from his seat.
“I just noticed all the screaming and I looked outside of my passenger side and saw the person being attacked,” he said.
No time to waste
That’s when Zamora flew into action. Grabbing a piece of metal from his trunk, he raced to the scene while screaming at the attacker.
“When he saw me with a piece of metal he started backing up a little bit and he started running away,” Zamora recalled.
The assailant then fled on a bike. Zamora called the police and waited with the woman until an ambulance arrived. Thankfully, although she had some bruises and was shaken up, the woman was stable. And, according to Zamora, very grateful.
She was crying and thankful and saying ‘Can I give you a hug’?
Edwin Zamora
It turns out that it wasn’t just the woman who wanted to share a hug. Zamora was awarded a Medal of Valor by the Broward County Commission.
Along with that, his bravery was immortalized when that day was designated, “Edwin Zamora Day.”
In true hero fashion, Zamora shrugs it off to the right timing.
She said ‘Thank you, you saved my life.’ [I said] ‘No, I didn’t save your life. I was in the right place at the right moment.
Edwin Zamora
Keep family safe
Recalling the events, Zamora says his first thoughts were close to home.
You’re thinking about your family, thinking about maybe this could be your wife, mom, or sister.
Edwin Zamora
Family, familia, famille, etc; however you spell it or say it, Zamora reminds us that it’s not about a shared name or blood type. Rather, it’s about looking out for everyone in our community. Just like a family, we’re only as healthy as the sum of our parts.
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“The true courage of the hero is to forget the rank he has attained by his courage.” – Stanisław Leszczyński