Eric Roman isn’t your typical teen. He dreams of being a police officer— patrolling the streets and keeping his city safe.
“You’ve got NYPD, Port Authority, everything out here,” he told Ali Bauman of CBS2 News.
The 17-year-old is part of the NYPD Explorer’s program, which provides training for kids interested in law enforcement. He collects police badges and even carries a first aid backpack.
No matter where Eric goes, he’s always looking for a way to help out.
And although he isn’t a policeman yet, he’s already being praised as a hero.
Back in November of last year, Eric was driving along the Staten Island Expressway when he noticed a disconcerting sight.
Laura Fall, an 87-year-old senior, was walking along the shoulder of the exit 12 offramp, shivering and confused.
“Literally right next to the shoulder,” Eric said.
“She looked very confused.”
“She looked like she was in need.”
Turns out Laura Fall had been trying to visit her grandchildren. Her family only lives a few blocks from her residence, and she often makes the walk alone. But that day, she had gotten a ride— and when she got out of the car, she became disoriented and confused.
Although Eric could have kept driving, he immediately pulled over to see if Laura was okay. Since getting out the car, she had wandered nearly two miles.
In an interview with CBS2, Laura said:
“My body was shaking.”
“He said, ‘Sit down, I don’t want you to fall.'”
Eric called an ambulance and comforted Laura during the entire ordeal.
“I’ll hold your hand when you go into the ambulance,” he told her. “Let them take you, let them check you out.” In fact, Eric even went above and beyond, offering to meet Laura at the hospital after her ambulance ride.
“When he came in [the hospital] he called her name, and she goes, ‘That’s the boy. That’s the boy who helped me”
When the NYPD caught wind of Eric’s actions, they honored him with a certificate of appreciation.
Eric was invited to the precinct after the Staten Island borough commander saw the story on CBS2 News.
“For outstanding performance and lasting contributions to the citizens of Staten Island,” Chief Edward Delatorre said of Eric’s reward.
“He’s just a really good example of what the future of this city has in store for it.”
Although Eric was humble about his acknowledgment, his mother Genevieve Roman could barely hold back tears. She was finally seeing the first signs of her son’s wishes coming true.
According to CBS2 News, this is the first award of its kind ever given to an NYPD-hopeful in the borough.
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