On Friday, Orlando police accompanied 5-year-old Kaleb Valencia to his very first day of school in honor of his father.
The boy’s father, Officer Kevin Valencia, was shot in the line of duty two months ago and remains in a coma. Since the boy’s dad couldn’t take his son to school, his squad and Chief made sure the boy was sent off properly, The Hill reported Monday.
Police Chief John Mina called the special escort “very emotional.”
“It was tough because today you are supposed to be celebrating your first day of kindergarten with your mom and dad. With Officer Valencia still in a coma, we stepped in,” he said.
In June, Ofc. Valencia was shot in the head during a domestic dispute call that turned deadly, killing four young children.
A 911 call came in to Orlando police dispatch on June 10 at 11:43 p.m. by Ciara Lopez, the mother of the four murdered children, after she fled the apartment and made it to a nearby 7-Eleven, Click Orlando reported..
Lopez said her four children were asleep and locked in their rooms at their home in the Westbrook Apartments complex.
Lopez told 911 dispatch that her boyfriend, Gary Lindsey Jr., hurt her and took her phone. “I have to go back to the apartment,” she told dispatch several times.
Orlando police arrived on the scene just four minutes later to rescue the children. It was then that Ofc. Valencia was shot in the head and critically injured.
Valencia was shot by Gary Lindsey Jr., who killed committed suicide after shooting and killing four children ages 1, 6, 10 and 12.
Valencia was rushed to Orlando Regional Medical Center where he underwent emergency surgery and remained in the trauma center.
Orlando police escort boy to first day of school while hero dad recovers @OrlandoPolice https://t.co/6lAogIHH7Q
— National Police Association (@NatPoliceAssoc) August 11, 2018
A GoFundMe page has been created for Valencia who remains in a coma but is responding to commands. He has been transferred to Shepard’s Rehabilitation Center in Georgia.
