South Florida Man Honored at Sunny Isles Beach Commission Meeting for Saving Woman’s Life

(Friday, May 20, 2016) – On Thursday, May 19 at the Sunny Isles Beach City Commission Meeting, Javier Egana Fernandez was awarded a Medal of Valor by the Sunny Isles Beach police chief, Fred Maas and the City of Sunny Isles Beach for courageously saving a woman’s life.

Fernandez was having lunch with his wife and child at the Newport Pier Beach Bar when he heard screams from bystanders and quickly jumped in the water off of the Pier to save a drowning woman, Rose Cireus. When Fernandez jumped in and grabbed her, he says the current pulled them both back. Minutes later, Fernandez dragged Cireus onto shore where it appears she wasn’t responding until he turned her on her side and Cireus started to move again.

Cireus surprised Fernandez by showing up at the Commission Meeting to thank him with a big hug.

“I will never forget him till the day my life is over on this earth,” Cireus said, “I will never forget what he did for me.”

During the ceremony, Fernandez was also presented with a two-night stay and dinner for two at the Newport Beachside Hotel.

You can read the full story on CBS 4 Miami & WSVN Channel 7.

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Javier Egana Fernanez – Middle; Rose Cireus – 2nd right; SIBPD Chief Fred Maas – Far Right;