SAN DIEGO — Five San Diegans were honored for their bravery and heroic acts at the 33rd Annual Citizens of Courage Awards.
Back in 2015, Elizabeth and Carlos Munoz lost their only child, their son, Junior.
Junior stopped at a gas station before driving off in his car when a gang followed him for three blocks and shot and killed him.
Elizabeth remembers the last hug she shared with her son before he left the house that night.
"He kissed me and said, 'I love you so much. You mean the world to me' and then he left," she cried.
Years later, the shooter was sentenced to more than 50 years in prison. Since then, the Munoz family started a mental health clinic in their son’s honor.
"He will not die in vain and we will build a legacy in his memory," said Elizabeth.
Terri Miller was working as a bus driver in North County when she stopped a man who was harassing a teenage girl; leading to his arrest, conviction and requirement he register as a sex offender.
"I just did what a Mom or Grandma would do like saying, 'Are you okay?' especially after having run-ins with this guy before, even though I didn’t know the full extent," said Miller.
What Miller and the Munoz family have in common, along with Linda Martinez, who came to the aid of a man who was shot outside her home and Juan Fierro who helped police find a hit and run driver is Monday, they were all honored for their bravery by San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan for the 33rd Annual Citizens of Courage Awards.
"It's about the community joining them and having them on stage and a resounding thank you for their extraordinary courage," said Stephan.
Stephan says she and a diverse committee carefully selected the recipients.
Meanwhile, all the awards recipients say they want the honor to be on others instead of themselves.
"This is for all the transit drivers everywhere," said Miller.
"This is for Junior," said Elizabeth.
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