On April 1, on his way to work as an agent at the Santa Teresa Station, Agent Valdez saw a family of four next to their vehicle alongside the road, waving down cars for assistance. As he approached the vehicle, he noticed the man was holding something close to his body while the woman was crying out desperately. He quickly noticed that what the man was holding was an infant child — a child that was not breathing.

“As soon as I saw the baby I knew something was wrong,” Agent Valdez said. “I did a quick assessment of the situation and noticed the infant’s eyes were rolling back. I ran back to my vehicle and called dispatch and immediately requested EMS services. When I returned, the father handed me the baby and I gave two quick rescue breaths and began CPR,” he said.

The entire family, who were all in tears, surrounded Agent Valdez while he worked to save the baby’s life. After giving the infant rescue breaths, he began to breathe on his own again.

While Agent Valdez awaited EMS personnel, he did his best to keep the frantic family preoccupied — while ensuring the baby continued breathing. He gathered medical information from the parents for emergency services and gave individual family members different tasks like relocating the vehicle until assistance arrived. “I wanted to keep the family from being so upset, so I did my best to keep their mind off of what was happening,” Valdez said.

Photo Credit: Senior Patrol Agent Patrick Berry

Border Patrol Chief David V. Aguilar and CBP Commissioner W. Ralph Basham pose with Santa Teresa Border Patrol Agent Bernie Valdez and his wife Marga. Agent Valdez was being recognized by the Chief and Commissioner for his efforts in reviving a 9-month-old infant who stopped breathing.

Before long, El Paso Fire Department personnel arrived on scene and took over for Agent Valdez. After paramedics stabilized the child, an ambulance transported the infant to Las Palmas Medical Center in El Paso. The baby was checked and released that same day in good condition.

According to Agent Valdez, saving the baby’s life was part of his responsibility as a public servant. “I was just glad that I was there — at the right place, at the right time,” he said. But for everyone else, his actions went well above the call of duty.

On April 5, Agent Valdez received surprise recognition from U.S. Customs and Border Protection Border Patrol’s Chief David V. Aguilar and Commissioner W. Ralph Basham, who personally traveled to El Paso to commend him on his valiant efforts.