A man who jumped from a pier to save a woman from drowning at Sunny Isles Beach was honored by police Monday.
Sunny Isles Beach Police said 27-year-old Javier Fernandez was with his wife and child at the Beach Bar restaurant at Newport Pier Thursday night when he began hearing screams for help.
Rose Cireus, 19, had entered the water near the pier when she noticed her 23-year-old sister in distress. Cireus helped get her sister to shallow water but was pulled out by the strong currents, officials said.
She began going under water and started screaming for help. That's when Fernandez jumped off the pier into the water to save her from the currents.
"You are a hero whether you want to be called one or not," Chief Fred Maas said. "He was saying before he didn't see himself as a hero, but you are a hero and we want to say thank you."
The Chief and other police officers played back the video capturing the heroic moments Monday.
Fernandez, who only speaks Spanish, says it was a split second decision.
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"If I hadn't taken the actions I did, I don't know if this person would've been where with us today," he said.
Cireus was also thankful, telling police at the hospital Fernandez saved her life. He received an honorary police badge for his efforts.
