A woman yelled, “Officer, help me!”
Her baby was not breathing.
The officer she was yelling for was Adam Joy.
The 22-year-old police officer wasted little time and began performing CPR on the baby in the Wendy’s parking lot in Alachua.
“He saved this baby’s life,” said Alachua Police Chief Joel DeCoursey, Jr. to the commission Monday evening.
DeCoursey said Joy reacted based on his training and was able to capitalize on the rare opportunity a police officer gets to save a life.
He not only praised Joy’s actions, but his attitude afterward. DeCoursey said he asked Joy what it felt like to be a hero, and Joy answered with great humility.
“God blessed me to be in a place at a time where I was needed,” Joy told DeCoursey.
DeCoursey was not the only one giving Joy his due.
High Springs Police Chief Jim Troiano praised Joy’s professionalism. Troiano said he’s known Joy for a long time, and that Joy shares a birthday with his daughter.
“You look at professionalism. It’s one word. It’s a very important word to us in law enforcement,” Troiano said. “He exemplifies professionalism.”
Joy’s interest in police work goes back to 2001, when he joined the Alachua Police Explorers, a group for adolescents interested in law enforcement.
Commissioner Jean Calderwood said she’s seen Joy grow from the Explorers to working as a police officer, and that she’s proud of him.
“I’ve seen you conduct yourself not only in this heroic measure but in your day-to-day service where you’re always professional, you’re always gracious, you’re always there and willing to serve,” Calderwood said. “I hope these young explorers look at you as a mentor and grow up and can walk in your shoes one day.”
Joy accepted a commemorative plaque and assured everyone that he has plenty of work still to do.
“I look forward to being here for the rest of my career and elevating hopefully to being in some of the positions that you guys are.”