PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (CBS12) — It’s been more than two weeks since Sergeant Erik Levasseur with the Port St. Lucie Police Department (PSLPD) was shot in the face twice during a call for service in Tradition.
Now, the department accepted a military medal of honor on his behalf.
CBS12 News exclusively sat down with the local war hero who recognized Sergeant Levasseur’s heroism deserved much more than a simple ‘thank you.’
From military service to law enforcement, Port St. Lucie resident Staff Sgt. Thomas Matteo has received many awards for his service, including six Purple Hearts. On Tuesday, he put one of his Purple Heart’s in a shadow box, walked into the PSLPD, and presented it to the police chief to give to Sgt. Levasseur.
“I felt that the small token for this officer would be unique. Unique in the sense that maybe society, the people, would realize what a great sacrifice,” said Matteo. “I mean, he was going to help a gentleman that was having allegedly mental issues, a breakdown. He was there to serve him, to help him, and beyond his control, we wound up getting shot.”
The Purple Heart is the oldest U.S. military medal, awarded to service members wounded or killed in action by enemy forces.
Ssgt. Matteo enlisted in the Marine Corps in August 1963 and served in two tours in Vietnam. Between 1965 and 1969, he was wounded six times, receiving a Purple Heart with five stars.
“I look at the medal with a revered sense of value,” said Matteo. “I don’t look it as an accomplishment. I take it as a sense of gratitude for my country, for my service.”
Matteo suffered from shrapnel going through his face and body during several of those injuries. A similar situation for Sgt. Levasseur, who recently had surgery to remove shrapnel from his eyes following the shooting.
Matteo says while they share similar wounds, that’s not what unites them.
“I think the badge does it. I think my professional endeavor as a law enforcement officer does that,” said Matteo.
After completing his military service, Matteo went into law enforcement in 1970, eventually becoming chief of police for two Florida municipalities, including Miami. He retired in 1995, but his call for service remains — to help veterans and law enforcement when he can.
“I think the community needs to walk up to every policeman and say hello. I know it’s difficult. We have difficult times,” said Matteo. “We’ve come to a point where being divided, I think we need to unite, and maybe this simple little token I’ve done maybe that’ll help.”
The simple token of a Purple Heart; symbolizing sacrifice, valor, and the high cost of defending the nation. An honor Matteo believes Sergeant Levasseur deserves defending his community.
“It would be something that would be within his reach, his touch, and every time he would look over at it, he’d have, maybe the same values that I have about having a Purple Heart, the sacrifice that he gave well deserved,” said Matteo.
The ultimate sacrifice both Matteo and Levasseur gave to keep us safe.
“I wear my six-foot (purple) heart around my neck. My men put it in gold for me, and I wore it for a reason, that every day I touch it brings back a lot you see, day, life, sorrow, happiness, reason to live,” said Matteo.
CBS12 News reached out to Levasseur’s family for comment on him receiving a Purple Heart — they declined.
After a series of intensive surgeries, Levasseur was transferred to a rehabilitation facility on Monday to begin the next phase of his recovery.
Matteo currently works with DDS4VETS, a non-profit organization which trains and provides service dogs to veterans for free. Matteo also recently wrote and published a book called “What War Has Raised” talking about his service in the military and PTSD, all for proceeds to go towards helping veterans.
Along with his Purple Heart with five stars, Ssgt. Matteo was awarded numerous medals and commendations during his service, including the Bronze Star, the Combat Action Ribbon, the Vietnamese Service Medal, the Vietnam Campaign Medal with Device, and more. In January 1975, Matteo was awarded the Medal of Valor in Miami; the highest award you can receive as a police officer for heroism.