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Wife of wounded Orlando officer accepts award on his behalf

ORLANDO, Fla. — The Orlando Police officer shot in the line of duty while trying to rescue four children was honored Wednesday afternoon for his life-saving effort in another incident.

Officer Kevin Valencia was shot in June and has been hospitalized ever since.

His wife, Meghan, accepted the award on his behalf, and she asked everyone to continue praying for him.

This was part of a ceremony that honored Orlando citizens and police officers for their good works, heroics and service to the community.

Officer Valencia and Officer Craig Broder responded to a shooting in March at the intersection of Kirkman Road and Raleigh Street.

They were able to apply pressure to the victim's wound for five minutes until paramedics arrived, and the victim survived.

Officer Valencia was shot in the head a few months later, in June, while responding to a barricaded man with four children inside an apartment.

His wife said she was thankful for the opportunity to receive the award on his behalf, but said she knows he would have liked to have been there himself.

“There's nothing he wouldn't do for the citizens and how he is as a person,” Valencia said. “He will drop everything and go and save somebody."

She said this is her husband's third life-saving award and it just shows what kind of officer he is.

She said things have been rough for her and their two young sons, but she said Kevin Valencia's fellow officers have stepped in to help her and even watch the boys for her.

She said that on Wednesday, he is going through his 11th surgery.

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