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(THE TAMPA TRIBUNE) – A city police officer is being credited with helping save the life of a 1-year-old boy who was choking on a piece of candy last weekend as the city’s 106th annual Founder’s Day Parade ended.
Zephyrhills Officer Giovanni Marcacci was patrolling an area near Fifth Avenue and Seventh Street when he noticed people panicking, authorities said.
“(Marcacci) was at the end of the block and ran toward the boy, right on Fifth Avenue,” City Manager Steve Spina said.
The boy, Elijah Rivera, was with his family near a small park when he began to choke, said Spina, adding that he was proud of Marcacci’s efforts.
“He’s been here a couple years and been a good addition to the police force,” Spina said. “He did what he needed to do. It just shows their training. (Afterward), he just kind of went off and started working again.”
