DORAL, Fla. – On Friday, a Good Samaritan who went out of his way to save a woman who had been struck by a drunk driver in Miami was honored by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue.
According to officials, cameras captured the moment the Good Samaritan, Jorge Rodriguez, came to help Alva Alonso after she was hit by a drunk driver and pinned between two cars on Nov. 20 while getting a blanket out of the trunk of her car.
Once Alonso was struck by the vehicle, Rodriguez rushed to her aid, and had the drunk driver who was responsible give him his shirt so he could make a tourniquet to stop the bleeding from her leg.
This heroic move by Rogriguez ended up saving her life. Rodriguez lives out of his car and happened to be at the scene of the accident at the right moment in time.
On Friday, she, Rodiguez, and the team of Miami-Dade Fire medics who responded to the scene were all reunited for the very first time since the horrific night. At the ceremony, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue honored Rodriguez for his heroic actions with a medal and department coin. “It’s a very touching thing to see this for me,” says Miami-Dade Fire.
Now, Alonso owes her life to Rodriguez. “Jorge saved my life and he didn’t know me,” she says.
Although Alonso lost her leg after the traumatic impact, doctors say it could’ve been a devastating loss if Rodriguez hadn’t stopped the initial bleeding with the shirt. “My life is changed forever,” she says. “I had to change how to be a wife, how to be a mom, how to be an employee. Over someone else’s reckless decision.”
During Friday’s reunion, Rodriguez felt a sense of relief seeing Alonso walking and OK. “Now I’m feeling good, really feeling good because I see that she can walk and she’s here,” he says.
Rodriguez told Local 10 he has 26 years of experience of being a lifeguard and has first responder training. He started training in Cuba and continued training in the early 1990s when he continued his work for the City of Miami and Miami-Dade County.
Rodriguez says his connection with Alonso is something he will carry through the rest of his life
While life has changed for her, she is forever grateful she is alive and for the quick actions of Rodriguez. “I feel like Jorge was my guardian angel that day,” she says. “I love him very dearly.”