Thread: Border-Crosser Who Rescued Boy Honored

Border-Crosser Who Rescued Boy Honored
By AMANDA LEE MYERS – 49 minutes ago

NOGALES, Ariz. (AP) — An illegal immigrant who rescued a 9-year-old after the boy's mother died in a car accident in the southern Arizona desert was honored Tuesday by U.S. and Mexican officials at a border crossing.

Manuel Jesus Cordova Soberanes, 26, stood by shyly with his mother and stepfather as officials talked about his efforts to save Christopher Buchleitner of Rimrock, Ariz., on Thanksgiving.

"The desert has a way of rearranging priorities, and to Manuel Jesus Cordova, the priority was standing right in front of (him) that day," said Beatriz Lopez Gargallo, the Mexican consul general for Nogales. "And this man, this hero, did what men of honor do in all nations and in all cultures."

Authorities say if it hadn't been for Cordova, Christopher might be dead.

Cordova was two days into his journey to Arizona from Mexico when he spotted the boy, alone and injured in the desert. His leg was scraped up, he was dressed in shorts despite the desert cold and his mother had just been killed when their van went over a cliff. The boy crawled out and went looking for help.

Cordova said he gave the boy his sweater, fed him chocolate and cookies and built a bonfire. As the boy slept, Cordova kept watch and tended the fire.

"The only thing I was thinking about was keeping the boy warm," Cordova said Tuesday. "I was worried no one would come."

Christopher and his mother, 45-year-old Dawn Alice Tomko, had been in the area camping.

Cordova and Christopher were discovered after a long, cold night in the desert by a group of hunters, who called authorities.

Christopher was flown to a hospital and reunited with family members.

Cordova was taken into custody by the U.S. Border Patrol and agreed to return to his home in the Mexican state of Sonora without going through formal deportation proceedings.

Cordova came to the border again Tuesday, where officials from both countries held the ceremony in a U.S. Customs and Border Protection building at the Nogales port of entry. His mother, Almalida Soberanes, looked on proudly.

"He did what he had to do," Soberanes said. "He took care of that little boy and protected him."

The district director for U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., said Cordova deserved the opportunity to come to America to work and that the congressman plans to introduce legislation that will let him get a special visa. Such legislation rarely passes, but Grijalva aide Ruben Reyes said it was the only way they knew of to show their thanks.

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http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hhgB ... wD8TAUBV00

He still broke the law by coming here illegally. He should be deported.

I think that this man should be rewarded but Mexico is not a bad place to live if a person has assets. Instead of admitting the guy he should get a reward in Mexico.

The story that won't die.....

"The district director for U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., said Cordova deserved the opportunity to come to America to work and that the congressman plans to introduce legislation that will let him get a special visa. Such legislation rarely passes, but Grijalva aide Ruben Reyes said it was the only way they knew of to show their thanks."

This fool lives down the street from me and his wife was just elected to the city council. Do I see a sanctuary city in my future? I say if they have so much to say, why don't they get him a better job in Magdalena Mexico where he's got a wife, a mistress and 4 kids. I heard something today that he might actually have 7 kids. My hubby said he read in the paper the other day that he already was living up here.

yea, yea, blah, blah, let's paint them all as heros. What a bunch of BS. Sure the guy should be recognized, but not with amnesty!

See the wonderful good samaritan for yourself getting hugged by the fire chief and Sheriff...

http://www.kgun9.com/NewsArticle/tabid/ ... fault.aspx

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Where's Ramos and Compean's HONOR??????

They'll be getting awards from every single grassroots group in America, you wait and see.

This makes me want to barf. This guy is no hero. He's an everyday illegal alien who happened to have the wherewithall to do the RIGHT thing when faced with a crisis.

Now send him back to MEXICO!!!