Rami Ouazza, a 17-year-old from Miami, received a full scholarship to attend the Miami Police Academy after saving the life of his neighbor during a fire in an apartment building in the northeast area of Miami-Dade County.
The fire occurred in the early hours of November 4, 2025. Ouazza first evacuated his family and, noticing that his neighbor—a retired and disabled agent from the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office—had not exited, he returned without hesitation to the burning building to help him get to safety.
The young final-year student explained that he did not act seeking recognition, but out of conviction.
"I always think about defending those who cannot defend themselves. I know that there are many elderly people in the building who might not be able to get up on their own, so that was the first thing I thought: to help my neighbors," declared Ouazza.
The heroic act was first recognized on March 18 of this year, when the Miami Police Department and the program "Do The Right Thing" selected it from over 800 nominees as one of the ten outstanding young individuals of the year.
According to WSVN, Ouazza and his family were invited to a special tour of the Miami Police Department headquarters, where they tested equipment, explored police vehicles, and operated a ground drone.
At the end of the tour, the most important surprise arrived: Sarah Perry, mother of Aden Perry and president of the Good Samaritan Fund and Aden Perry Scholarships, presented a check covering full tuition for the Miami Police Academy.
"In honor of my son, it is a true honor to present you this check today so you can go to police academy and become the officer you want to be," said Perry as he presented the award.
Perry explained that he found out about Ouazza's story on television and that his decision was immediate upon learning that the young man dreamed of becoming a police officer.
"Too often, we only hear the stories of the bad boys; we are here to highlight the good ones so they can inspire others to be the same," he stated.
Ouazza, who aspires to serve her community as an officer, said that she has always wanted to be a police officer to help and be a good role model.
The Chief of Police of Miami, Manny Morales, was also present at the ceremony and praised the teenager.
"This is why we do what we do. Being able to pass on that legacy to the next generation, and Rami is a fantastic example. I am grateful to be a small part of this celebration," said Morales, quoted by NBC.
The firefighters from the Miami-Dade Rescue Corps, who responded to the fire that night in November, also attended the event to celebrate the young man whose heroism they witnessed firsthand.
The Good Samaritan Fund and Aden Perry Scholarships was established by Sarah Perry in honor of her son, a 17-year-old teenager who lost his life while attempting to save a driver whose vehicle fell into a water channel and who was posthumously awarded the Carnegie Medal of Heroism.
Since its founding, the organization has distributed more than $300,000 in scholarships to outstanding young individuals in Florida.
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