Xavier Duran was one of 588 new NYPD officers who graduated during a Madison Square Garden ceremony Thursday — and his journey to the nation’s largest police force began when he was 9 years old, inspired by the heroic actions of a retired sergeant.
As cannons blasted blue and white confetti over the crowd, retired NYPD Sergeant Lino Minetto wept, to know that Duran, 35, had finally accomplished his lifelong goal of becoming a member of New York’s Finest.
Minetto and Duran initially connected on March 12, 1998, in Corona, Queens. Duran, his brother, and his sister had been struck by a vehicle along 36th Avenue in Corona, Queens, and Minetto came to the family’s aid.
“I got there with my partner, we noticed his sister was in the middle of the crosswalk. Basically, the leg was dangling off her body, and she was bleeding to death, barely conscious. We didn’t want to wait for the ambulance, thinking that she might bleed to death. So we grabbed a plastic blanket that was carried in the back of the police car and basically scooped her up, put her on my lap, and we just started flying to Elmhurst Hospital to try to get there as quickly as possible,” Minetto recalled. “Everything fell into place, and luckily, the doctors were able to save her, unfortunately, not the leg, but I think the doctors did great work.”
Seeing how Minetto and his partner swooped into action and saved his sister’s life inspired Duran to follow in their footsteps and become an officer.
“One officer could impact a whole family, like this gentleman did to my family. Not only that, he impacted generations, because that story, I’m gonna bring it down from generation to generation, my kids and my kids’ kids, they will also know this: that I became an officer because he saved my family,” Duran said.
Duran invited Minetto to Madison Square Garden on Oct. 31 to celebrate his graduation from the NYPD Academy, and the realization of a dream the sergeant had inspired in him 26 years earlier. Both men became emotional reuniting after the ceremony just as the confetti settled on the ground.
“I get emotional every time I see him. I’m so lucky to be here at this time knowing that the gentleman that changed my life forever is here in front of me,” Duran said. “I want to do the same, not only for one family, but for everyone I encounter.”
Minetto wiped tears from his eyes, beaming with honor.
“It breaks my heart with pride,” Minetto said. “He’s going to be an amazing police officer, and he is going to give back to this city and to the world. He and his family are outstanding human beings.”
