NEW YORK CITY (WABC) — A group of MTA police officers on Staten Island is being recognized as this week’s MTA Heroes after helping reunite a lost 10-year-old boy with his family despite a significant language barrier.
The incident happened last month near the Jefferson Avenue Staten Island Railway station, where Sgt. Joseph Amato and Officers John Lombardo, Salvatore DiStefano, Gregory Beach and David Ghee-zuh were on patrol when they received a call about a child who had become separated from his family.
The officers quickly located the boy, but encountered a challenge: they were unable to communicate with him and determine where he lived.
Looking for a way to bridge the language gap, the officers contacted NYPD Officer Fang Jeen Lin, whom they knew spoke Mandarin. Lin spoke with the child by phone and helped gather information about the boy and his family.
Using the details obtained during the conversation, the MTA officers were able to drive the boy home and safely reunite him with his family.
The successful outcome earned the officers recognition as MTA Heroes, highlighting a team effort that turned a frightening experience for a young child into a happy reunion.
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