‘I COULD NOT JUST GO BY’

Carnegie Medal goes to man who aided officer

PEMBROKE PINES — The whirlwind lasted for about six weeks, constant requests for interviews or dinners or other engagements, and William E. Ramirez, an effervescent middleaged man who washes boats for a living, was swept up in the appearances.

Ramirez, who speaks limited English, was cast into the public spotlight on April 14, 2015. The morning started with the routine wade through traffic from Pembroke Pines to the Miami Beach marina. But then it took a dramatic turn when Ramirez came to the aid of Miami police officer Rosny Obas, who was pinned down by a barrage of bullets from a suspect he had pulled over moments earlier. Ramirez drove his van between the gunman and Obas, providing cover and an escape for the officer.

“I wasn’t scared. All I thought about was helping the police officer,” said Ramirez, 47. “I could not just go by, go to work without doing anything. The police risk their lives for people all the time.”

Ramirez is one of 21 people from the U.S. and Canada named Tuesday as a winner of the Carnegie Medal for Heroism, established in 1904 to recognize people who risk their lives “to an extraordinary degree” to save the lives of others. Four of the recipients died in their attempts to help.

Winners of the award, which was established by industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, each receive a bronze medal unique to them and a $5,000 grant. The commission gives out awards four times a year.

“Each of these cases involves split-second decisions where lives are in the balance,” said Eric Zahren, the organization’s executive director. “Approximately 20 percent result in death for the person who attempts to help.”

The honor came as a surprise to Ramirez and his wife, Elizabeth Lopez, who settled into their daily routine after the requests for interviews subsided.

Throughout the past year, the Carnegie staff called, asking for bits and pieces of information about the incident and biographical information.

Ramirez and Lopez didn’t give much thought to the calls, the last one coming months ago.

“I am so proud of him,” Lopez said. “Yes, he is the kind of person who would do something like that because he cares about other people. That is who he is.”

Ramirez says his life is the same as it was prior to the incident. He still wakes up at 5:30 a.m. for his commute and returns home at about 6 p.m.

On the weekends, he rises as early as he does during the week looking for something to repair around the house.

The couple have two children, and Ramirez has been self-employed since 2008.

“My husband, he’s a hero, I know, but I never want him to do something like that again. He has a family to think about,” said Elizabeth Lopez.