Latest news with #PBSO
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
A picture worth a million words: Son, ailing dad celebrate graduation in viral photo
When Esro Garcia Mendez walked across the stage at Palm Beach Lakes High School's graduation ceremony, he became the first person in his family to earn a diploma. But in the joy of the moment, he couldn't help but notice an empty seat in the crowd. He spotted his mother, his aunt and his cousin, but not his dad, Ramiro Lopez Perez. He had been rushed to HCA Florida Palms West Hospital days before after a bout of high blood pressure that caused kidney failure and made his body weak. Once the ceremony ended, instead of going to celebrate with friends, Esro asked his mom to drive west down Southern Boulevard to the hospital near Royal Palm Beach. Lopez was speechless when he saw Esro walk in wearing his red cap and gown and his diploma in hand. Tears rolled down his cheeks and Esro took off the red cap and placed it on his dad's head. "He cried and felt very emotional just seeing me with my cap and gown," said Esro, whose family lives in Loxahatchee. "It is a big accomplishment and I got to see my parents really happy because I finished something they couldn't." 'Three remarkable heroes': Trump honors PBSO motorcycle deputies killed in November crash The staff at HCA Palms West captured the moment in a photo that went viral last week, getting over 7,000 views on Facebook and hundreds of comments praising Esro. "I was surprised. I never thought it would be viral,' said Esro, who was overwhelmed with gratitude by the heartwarming messages from strangers. 'I was just there feeling the moment with my parents when I graduated." The son of Guatemalan immigrants, Esro is the first his family to be born in the United States. Ever since he was a child, his parents stressed the importance of education and completing a high school degree. While other classmates got to miss school some days, Esro's parents made sure he woke up on time in the morning, had his homework up to date and supported him when he enrolled in JROTC during junior year. While the name of his classmates got called out during the ceremony, Esro said he could only think about this dad. 'How is my dad? How is he doing? Will he be OK?" Esro said, recalling the thoughts looping in his head. Being an only child, Esro's graduation marked an important milestone for the entire family. His mother, Rosa Maria Padrino Mendez, couldn't help but wave excitedly and cry when she saw him receive his diploma and get recognized for his 4.0 GPA. 'I just wanted to share the moment with my family, especially my dad," Esro said. "I wanted to feel that special moment with him.' Palms West beating: Blessing from Pope Francis left nurse 'overwhelmed,' her family says Now Esro plans to be the first in his family to enroll in the U.S. military. His mother was worried at first but, she now has given Esro her blessing. Esro hopes his story inspires other first-generation students to finish high school and feel pride in their family. 'I know some classes are hard but continue to push forward and make your parents proud, they always want you to accomplish something grater," Esro said. "But also for yourself so you have something great to look forward to after high school.' Valentina Palm covers Royal Palm Beach, Wellington, Greenacres, Palm Springs and other western communities in Palm Beach County for The Palm Beach Post. Email her at vpalm@ and follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @ValenPalmB. Support local journalism: Subscribe today. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Son, sick dad celebrate Palm Beach Lakes graduation in viral photo
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Yahoo
PBSO deputy fired after investigation of inappropriate texts with high school girls
A deputy who worked for the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office for 11 years was terminated after two high school seniors reported he had been texting them 'inappropriate' messages while on and off duty, PBSO records show. Eric Devaul was assigned to the Sheriff's Office's West Lake district at the time he began texting with the two 18-year-old women earlier this year, according to a personnel complaint investigation report. The investigation began in April after the students told their school's behavioral health professional that they were both uncomfortable with text messages Devaul had recently started sending them. The behavioral health employee passed along the complaint to the school's principal, who then informed a Palm Beach County School Police officer, according to the report. PBSO's Special Investigations Division began investigating whether any crime had been committed on April 12. A detective determined Devaul did not violate any state statutes, and Internal Affairs then began an investigation to determine if he violated any PBSO policies. One of the students told the investigating deputy that Devaul gave her his phone number 'in case of any emergencies,' and their messages at first were 'normal conversation,' the report said. But the texts 'got a little weird' toward late March. One text conversation about that time went from discussing the brakes on the student's car to him 'just randomly asking her if she wanted to help him shower,' according to the PBSO report. The student said Devaul had also messaged her several TikToks that were sexually suggestive and made her uncomfortable. The second student said Devaul often replied to photos of her on Snapchat, calling her 'beautiful,' the report said. She posted a photo one day of her and someone else, whose name is redacted in the report, and Devaul replied to it: 'Oh, I'd love to be between you and (redacted).' One day while she was walking home from school, Devaul drove up and turned on his emergency lights to 'possibly scare her,' the report said. He asked where she lived and 'made a comment that if she did not answer him he would come over to her house and harass her.' Both students said that Devaul had never asked them to 'do anything inappropriate' and never messaged them anything pornographic, according to the report. The investigation report included some of the messages after Devaul allegedly mentioned showering. 'Gona shower in a few if you wanna help lol jk,' he allegedly wrote, according to the report. 'Uh Oh,' the student replied. Devaul texted a few messages later: 'If you could handle me being frisky, lol I'd be frisky,' and in another later message allegedly wrote, 'And it would be your choice!!! I won't do anything you don't want,' the report showed. The school's behavioral health professional watched one of the four TikTok videos Devaul sent one of the two students and told the investigating deputy that she could not watch the others because 'it was so provocative it 'turned her stomach,'' the investigation report said. The employee had seen Devaul while on duty and in his uniform at the school often and did not think it was unusual at first, the report said. She saw him kiss the two students' foreheads and hug them and noticed in that instance that the behavior was 'odd.' Devaul in his sworn interview denied that he had been showing up to the school solely to see the two students, according to the report. His assigned role was to patrol in his district, which included the school, and said he patrolled with other officers there about twice a week. Devaul said that he followed one of the students home to 'mess with her to see where she lived,' the report said. He also said that he believed one of the students was 'coming on to him' and was trying to 'set me up and get me in trouble.' The report concluded that Devaul violated PBSO's policy on Standard of Conduct by trying to 'initiate inappropriate relationships' with the two students. The TikTok videos he shared 'insinuated his desire for a sexual relationship while on and off duty,' the report said. It was not clear from the report when Devaul's termination took effect or if arbitration is ongoing. 'The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office holds all deputies to the highest standards of conduct, both on and off duty, as outlined in our Rules and Regulations Code of Conduct,' the Sheriff's Office said in an emailed statement to the South Florida Sun Sentinel on Thursday. 'Following a recent internal review, Deputy Sheriff Eric Devaul was found to have engaged in conduct that did not align with these standards.'
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Yahoo
'Heartbroken': 19-year-old man killed in Boynton Beach motorcycle crash was PBSO cadet
A 19-year-old man who died in a traffic collision on May 16 in Boynton Beach was a cadet with the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, the agency said. In a posting on a social media on May 21, the sheriff's office wrote that it was "heartbroken to share the sudden passing of Cadet Mike Grajales." "Mike was a proud member of our PBSO family, serving in the Training Division, Field Training Unit," the sheriff's office wrote. "His dedication and bright spirit will never be forgotten. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and loved ones during this extremely difficult time." In court: Jupiter woman stole from one boss to pay restitution to another. Now she'll pay in prison. The job of cadet is an apprentice-level position where people gain experience in law enforcement and prepare for a position as a deputy sheriff. Boynton Beach police said Grajales was involved a collision that occurred at about 6:30 p.m. on May 16 near the 1400 block of North Congress Avenue, just north of the Boynton Beach Mall. Immigration crackdown: Florida's economy to feel pain from ending TPS for 260,000 Venezuelans, officials say The preliminary investigation showed he was traveling north on Congress while operating a motorcycle when a white Tesla attempting to turn onto southbound Congress crossed into his path. Grajales attempted to avoid to avoid the collision but was unable to do so. He was taken to Delray Medical Center, where he succumbed to his injuries, Boynton Beach police said. The crash remains under investigation. Julius Whigham II is a criminal justice and public safety reporter for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jwhigham@ and follow him on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @JuliusWhigham. Help support our work: Subscribe today. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Man, 19, killed in Boynton Beach motorcycle crash was PBSO cadet
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Yahoo
'He had many dreams': Boca High School graduate dies in I-95 crash hours after ceremony
Just hours after celebrating his high school graduation, Hendry Aceituno Gudiño was one of the two people killed in a May 17 car crash on Interstate 95. Gudiño, an 18-year-old from Riviera Beach, was on his way home from a celebratory dinner with his girlfriend and her father at the time of the crash, a close friend said. He was a former student at Boca Raton High School. "That same day, Hendry graduated," family members wrote in a GoFundMe page created to cover funeral and relocation expenses. "An achievement he had worked hard for, with dedication and the deep desire to make his mother proud." They said it was supposed to be one of the happiest days of Gudiño's life. 'Three remarkable heroes': Trump honors PBSO motorcycle deputies killed in November crash According to the Florida Highway Patrol, at around 8:40 p.m. May 17, three people from Port St. Lucie were traveling north on I-95 in a 2002 Chevy Camaro. The driver, a 52-year-old man whose name has not yet been released, lost control of the vehicle near the Martin Highway exit, traveled across all northbound lanes and struck a guardrail in the median. He and Gudiño were pronounced dead at the scene. Gudiño's girlfriend, a 16-year-old, was sitting in the rear seat of the car. Paramedics drove her to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to the crash report. Roberto Hurtado, a classmate and close friend of Gudiño, organized the GoFundMe page. He and Gudiño met shortly after Gudiño had arrived from his home country of Venezuela in 2023. They bonded over Gudiño's time spent in Ecuador, where Hurtado, who was a grade ahead of him, is from. "He became a brother to me," Hurtado said. "But life took him away from me." Gudiño dreamed of graduating for his mother, Anielka, and his late grandmother. "He had many, many dreams, many goals like everyone else," Hurtado said. But the first one was to have his own BMW. He'd tell his friends he was going to call it "Goldo's BMW." "El Goldo" was the nickname friends had lovingly called him, Hurtado said. "Hendry was a cheerful person, never short of laughter," Hurtado said. "Above all, he was a very loyal person, and whenever you needed to talk about a serious topic, he was there. He was a very mature person despite his age, and he didn't deserve for this to happen to him." Hurtado said it took Gudiño's family and friends almost four hours to receive confirmation of his death, and that they heard it not from police, but from the staff at the hospital where Gudiño's girlfriend was sent. Brightline: Railway cuts some rush hour routes without notice; some passengers upset Boca Raton High School Principal Dr. Suzanne King addressed parents and faculty in an email May 19. "It is with deep sadness that I share the news that one of our students has passed away unexpectedly over the weekend," King wrote. "On behalf of our school community, I will be reaching out to the student's family to express our heartfelt condolences and offer support." The email stated counselors and school psychologists would be available on campus for students and staff. "He will always live in our hearts," Hurtado said. "Even though he's not here physically, I know he's with us and we're trying our best to give him a good send-off. And, most of all, to never leave his mother alone since, here in the U.S., he only had her and us." Jasmine Fernández is a journalist covering Delray Beach and Boca Raton for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach her at jfernandez@ and follow her on X (formerly Twitter) at @jasminefernandz. Help support our work. Subscribe today. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Boca High grad dies in crash hours after ceremony: 'A brother to me'
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
'Worst nightmare': Trump's awkward medal moment with daughter of fallen PBSO deputy goes viral
The daughter of a fallen Palm Beach County sheriff's deputy went viral after an icy interaction with President Donald Trump at the White House. Trump presented Alexandria Diaz, daughter of Palm Beach County sheriff's deputy Ignacio 'Dan' Diaz, with the Medal of Sacrifice during an Oval Office ceremony on May 19. Diaz was one of three officers struck and killed by an SUV while assisting with a roadside breakdown west of Wellington in November. Alexandria, 24, stood stone-faced as Trump handed her the medal and avoided eye contact as he appeared to try to engage her. Trump glanced at Alexandria as she displayed the medal to photographers. If he expected some form of acknowledgment or warmth, he got none. Alexandria did not immediately return a request for comment. The clip amassed more than 3 million views and been widely shared under the caption: 'Trump looks confused, shocked, and embarrassed about why this woman accepting a medal on her father's behalf refused to worship the ground he walks.' 'He can't believe she won't even look at him,' one viewer posted. 'She's not a phony. Good for her,' said another. A third wrote: 'The poor girl looks like she's in a hostage video.' Alexandria addressed the moment in a TikTok video. 'This is actually my worst nightmare, to go viral, become a meme, whatever," she said. "I literally just landed back home and got a text from my friend that was like, 'You're going viral.' And I was like, 'God, no.' ' Alexandria said she is "not a cop" and "not a Republican." She ended the brief video by saying "Free Palestine." The ceremony honored Palm Beach County sheriff's deputies Diaz and Ralph 'Butch' Waller Jr. and Cpl. Luis Paez Jr. They were posthumously awarded the first-ever Medals of Sacrifice, intended to recognize officers who lost their lives in the line of duty. Paez, 58, was an avid photographer on the brink of retirement. Waller, 54, was an outdoorsman once honored by his captain for his outstanding work ethic. Diaz, 51, helped to convict a driver blamed for one of the deadliest crashes in Riviera Beach's history. All three belonged to PBSO's traffic division. Between them, the men had a combined 75 years of experience at the sheriff's office. Each was sent airborne when an SUV veered off Southern Boulevard and hit them where they stood, preparing to jumpstart a department-issued motorcycle. The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating the crash. "My dad treated every day like it was his last," Alexandria said during a memorial service for the three men. "He loved getting on that bike every day. Coincidentally, this was his favorite time of year because it wasn't hot. He loved getting on the motorcycle in these days." Hannah Phillips is a journalist covering public safety and criminal justice at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach her at hphillips@ This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Trump's awkward medal moment with daughter of fallen PBSO deputy goes viral
