A City of Tampa Solid Waste Driver is being recognized for going above and beyond his job duties to help a mother find her toddler who had wandered away from home.
David Llanos was awarded the Life Changer Award by Mayor Jane Castor and the City of Tampa Solid Waste Department for helping locate a toddler on March 19, 2024 while he was on his route. Around 9:00 A.M., he encountered a distraught mother looking for her child. Llanos immediately parked his truck and helped the mother search for her son. While walking through the neighborhood he spotted the lost child a block away from his home. He assured the child he was a safe person to go with and carried him back to his mother.
"I could not be prouder of David Llanos for noticing something was wrong and stepping in to help," said Solid Waste Director Larry Washington. "His heroic actions reflect our team's dedication to the community and reinforce our role as first responders."
Due to Llanos' quick actions, Tampa Police was not called. Each December, the City of Tampa Solid Waste Drivers are equipped with the See Something, Say Something Training provided by the Tampa Police Department. Training helps drivers to be vigilant and remain alert for special events and on collection routes.