‘When tragedy happens, people come together’: UMass Boston police recognize boy who saved mother in El Paso mass shooting
Eduardo Gabriel Mier, 9, said he hopes to become a police officer someday.
In the aftermath of the El Paso, Texas, Walmart shooting, a 9-year-old boy was recognized as a hero for helping his mom reach safety. And his bravery inspired a UMass Boston police officer to, in turn, help him.UMass Boston Lt. Clara Molina said she saw the interview Telemundo, a Spanish-language news station, did with Eduardo Gabriel Mier, who was in the store that day when a gunman opened fire.Twenty-two people died in the Aug. 3 shooting and another 24 were injured, but Eduardo and his mother, Ana Gabriela Vitela, escaped.“My mom froze. I yelled at her to go but she remained still,” the 9-year-old said.Eduardo then grabbed his mother’s hand and pulled her toward an emergency exit.In another interview, Molina said reporters asked the boy what he wants to be when he grows up, and he told them he wants to be a police officer and save others.“That statement that he made there really touched my heart, and it was like, ‘I need to do something about it,’” Molina told Boston.com, noting that she also wanted to encourage Eduardo to follow his dream.Molina wrote a letter and sent it out to police departments in the area and also around the country, asking them for donations; the department also posted about the effort on social media. Over 50 police agencies sent gifts for Eduardo, including patches, hats, T-shirts, and coins. “We got a lot of very good responses,” Molina said, adding that the department also collected money to buy the boy an iPad.
Molina planned to fly down to Texas with Officer Matt Coviello on Nov. 10, but a family emergency kept her home; another officer went in her place. The El Paso police helped deliver the gifts to Eduardo, according to Molina, adding that he also got to go in a police cruiser.“The smile on his face when he opened the presents, I was in tears when I saw that,” Molina said. “We are proud of him, we recognize his bravery, and we want him to pursue his dream. If he wants to be a police officer, he can be a police officer.”Molina said she hopes to meet Eduardo and his mom someday; she remains in contact with the family and wants to mentor the boy. Thinking back to why she pursued police work, Molina said it was a dream she had since childhood, noting that it’s how you treat people and “the compassion to people, that’s what makes a difference.”“When tragedy happens, people come together,” she said.
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