When Indy Valencia heard the shouts, he ran towards the commotion. In the neighbor鈥檚 apartment above, a recently adopted pitbull dog was attacking a four-year old girl while her mother tried to intervene.
鈥淚t was the kind of scream where something was very wrong, and I heard rustling on the floor,鈥� said Valencia. 鈥淚 got up and went straight upstairs through the door. I saw them on the floor 鈥� the little girl, the mom and the dog. The little girl鈥檚 face was in the dog鈥檚 mouth.鈥�
Valencia wrestled the dog and pulled the animal off the child, saving her life. Emergency responders arrived soon after.
Valencia has worked at 海角社区CI for 16 years as a Lead Information Technology Consultant. Thankfully, he had been working from home that day.
鈥淚 was happy to be able to help and be at the right place at the right time,鈥� he said.
Word spread of Valencia鈥檚 courageous act on campus.
Indy Valencia and 海角社区CI Interim Chief of Police Drake Massey.
When Lieutenant Christopher Jetton from the University鈥檚 Police Department heard of Valencia鈥檚 heroism, he gave him a coin to recognize his bravery.
鈥淏ecause Valencia intervened 鈥� and he had no obligation to 鈥� the young girl didn鈥檛 die,鈥� said Jetton. 鈥淗e placed himself in harm鈥檚 way to save someone else鈥檚 life.鈥�
Since then, the little girl has recovered. She often plays with Valencia鈥檚 young daughter.
Jetton nominated Valencia for an important award in Ventura County, the Citizen鈥檚 Medal of Merit, given by the Peace Officers Association of Ventura County (POAVC). The awards began in 1974 and are typically given out every two years.
On March 19, 2022, 500 people attended the POAVC ceremony in the Air Force One Pavilion at the Ronald Reagan Library in Simi Valley. For the special occasion, Valencia brought his son with him to receive the Citizen鈥檚 Medal of Merit.
鈥淚t was nice to be thought of,鈥� said Valencia. 鈥淭he night was very fun and energetic with lots of people celebrating the acts of helping others.鈥�
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漏 Spring 2022 / Volume 27 / Number 1 / Biannual