Two Metropolitan Transportation Authority bridges & tunnels police officers stationed on the Throgs Neck Bridge are being treated as heroes after helping a lost 91-year-old man reunite with his family.
The officers, Joseph Moncada and Sergeant Roberto Rivera found senior citizen Narciso Caquias on Monday morning after a silver alert was issued by the northbound city of Newburgh upon reports that he hadn’t returned home following a visit with a relative in Manhattan.
Moncada spotted the man’s vehicle crossing the Throgs Neck Bridge at about 10:06 a.m. and put out a radio call which was answered by Rivera; the two then sprung into action to assist in getting Caquias back home safely, according to the MTA.
“I approached the vehicle and asked for license and registration and he asked, ‘Officer, did I do anything wrong?’ and I said no not at all, I just think your family is looking for you,” Moncada said.
The officers brought the elder man off the bridge and arranged for him to be picked up by his granddaughter shortly afterward.
“I was in touch with the command center and brought Mr. Caquias back to our administration center in the Bronx where he was comfortable and safe and able to wait for his granddaughter,” Rivera explained.
Johanna Munoz, the granddaughter of Caquias also commended the officers on how the treated her grandfather during his time of need.
It meant so much to me how sweet each and every one of you were to me and my grandfather. You don’t really see that a lot here in New York so to meet wonderful police officers like you was amazing, because there are really good officers out there. I just wish everybody could experience what I experienced,” she said, also telling how Caquias had raised Munoz since she was just a young child.
Following their work, Moncada received a Meritorious Service award while Rivera was given an Excellent Police Duty award for their actions.
“My father is 88-years-old and so talking to him, it was beautiful. I’m so happy we got him home with his family, because that could be my father,” Mondaca said.
