Cpl. Juan Gallegos was honored during the Durango City Council meeting Tuesday for saving Sur-Riah Gaines-Alires, who watched the ceremony from her mother’s arms. Sheniqua Alires, her mother, went looking for help from a neighbor one night in late September because the baby was choking. Instead, she found Gallegos who was outside waiting for backup to help him with a suicidal man. The officer came in and performed the Heimlich on the baby. While Sur-Riah was choking, it was terrifying, but “afterwards, it was a big sigh of relief,” Alires said. Mayor Dick White thanked the police for their service. “Day in day out, they keep us all safe ... It’s not usually this spectacular.”
Cpl. Juan Gallegos was honored during the Durango City Council meeting Tuesday for saving Sur-Riah Gaines-Alires, who watched the ceremony from her mother’s arms. Sheniqua Alires, her mother, went looking for help from a neighbor one night in late September because the baby was choking. Instead, she found Gallegos who was outside waiting for backup to help him with a suicidal man. The officer came in and performed the Heimlich on the baby. While Sur-Riah was choking, it was terrifying, but “afterwards, it was a big sigh of relief,” Alires said. Mayor Dick White thanked the police for their service. “Day in day out, they keep us all safe … It’s not usually this spectacular.”Mary Shinn/Durango Herald