Brighten Your Day

14 year-old Hero Rony Monzon took 3 bullets to save his friend

December 27, 2012

14 year-old Rony Monzon is hailed a hero after saving the life of his neighbor, Daneysi Valdovinos, by jumping in front of her while multiple shots were fired toward her head.

Monzon and Valdovinos were sitting on a bench outside their Chicago homes listening to music when a gang member opened fire. Monzon sensed the danger and jumped to his feet, taking 3 bullets in his arm and chest that would have struck Valdovinos in the head.

"He took the bullets," Valdovinos told the Chicago Sun-Times. "They would have hit me in the head, but he stood up in front of me and they hit him instead."

Detectives believe it was a case of mistaken identity but no arrests have been made. It has been 6 months since the shooting, and Monzon is as happy as can be. Instead of filling himself with anger and revenge, Monzon laughs about it and thinks positively this holiday season.

According to his Monzon's family, he jokingly calls himself "The Terminator", an action movie character who is impervious to bullets.

Monzon's heroics did not go unnoticed. Since the shooting, he has received a framed plaque from the Cook County Board honoring his heroism, a wooden trophy from the United States Army noting his "personal courage and selfless sacrifice," and a massive black-and-white photo awarded from Chicago Magazine of Monzon smiling, proclaiming him "Chicagoan Of The Year."