School Security Guard Honored As 'Hero' For Saving Family

YONKERS, NY — A school security guard was honored by elected officials for his off-duty heroism on Monday.

Jeffrey Anderson, a school safety officer at William Boyce Thompson School was presented with a certificate of appreciation from lawmakers on Monday. The ceremony at the school where he works in Yonkers was a way of calling attention to a good deed Anderson performed as a civilian.

On June 4, Anderson was driving on the Cross County Parkway when he noticed a family stranded in a car stopped after running out of gas on the busy Westchester expressway. The off-duty school safety officer stopped his own vehicle and rushed to help Rozsa Gaston and her daughter Ava to safety.

The pair credited Anderson with helping to turn a scary and potentially dangerous situation into a reminder of the kindness in the world. Ava Gaston, a sophomore at Iona, presented the proclamation from legislators to the security guard she hails as a hero.

Westchester County legislators Christopher Johnson and Ruth Walter were on hand to honor Anderson. School administrators, including Principal Taren Washington and members of the Gaston family were also in attendance to express their appreciation to Anderson.

“As you all know a few weeks ago we had a hero sighting,” Johnson told those gathered. “Normally, when we think about heroes, at least when I do, I think about Marvel characters with superpowers and capes. However, what we saw this time was an everyday hometown hero.”

Anderson was also given a Target gift card as a token of appreciation. True to form, he immediately donated the gift card to the students at his school.

“I’m humbled by this situation,” Anderson said, accepting his commendation. “That day, I wasn’t thinking about myself. I was thinking about a normal person in the middle of the highway that just needed my help. Sometimes, with the climate that we’re in now, we need to focus on other people, not just ourselves. And I’m just humbled to find a young lady like that going to college which is important. I’d like to just thank you for this award.”