NEW YORK (WABC) — The newest members of the NYPD were honored with a special ceremony at Madison Square Garden on Monday, and among them was a young man who was inspired by the veteran detective who saved his life more than a decade ago.
In this exact moment, Justin Acevedo’s journey is both complete and just beginning.
“Joe was always so kind and cared for everyone else and he would be very proud of me today,” Acevedo said.
The 23-year-old is part of the graduating class of NYPD recruits who are stepping into the roll of officer.
As the commissioner put it, Justin is carrying forward the example of the man who saved his life, the late Det. Jose Rosario, aka Joe.
“All I remember him saying, swim, swim, swim, swim, I’ll be right behind you,” Acevedo said.
While vacationing in Puerto Rico in 2015, a then 11-year-old Justin was in the water with Joe, his son Noah and several other kids. Everyone was close to shore but Joe and Justin were pulled out into rough water.
“He picked me up on a rock, he let me catch my breath and he said, OK you are going to start swimming,” Acevedo said. “When I got to the shore, I turned around and he was no longer… I couldn’t see him with my eyes.”
Joe didn’t make it out alive.
A photo of the late Det. Jose Rosario.
In the dark days that followed, Justin remembers seeing how other officers rallied around the family and he knew he wanted to part of the NYPD.
“His mom actually called me and told me the good news, she was so happy and proud,” said Joe’s widow Inez Rosario.
Now Noah is also in the process of joining the NYPD.
“My dad’s the type of guy where he put himself last, he’s watching over us, I know he’s watching over us, and I know he’s with us here today,” Noah said.
Years before Joe rushed to save Justin, he helped another person — his nephew who was in a swimming pool on the verge of going under.
“My father is always in the right place at the right time, he jumped straight in the water and saved my cousin,” Noah said.
Following in Joe’s footsteps is the kind of person and officer that Justin pledges to be.
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