Officer Kevin Valencia receives purple heart, shows signs of improvement

A retirement ceremony was held on Tuesday for Kevin Valencia, an Orlando police officer shot in the line of duty during a standoff with a suspect who took the lives of four children. He was honored with several awards, including a purple heart, and his wife says that he is beginning to show signs of improvement.

On July 11th, 2018, Officer Kevin Valencia was nearly killed by a domestic violence suspect. He responded to the Westbrook Apartment Complex near Universal Studios where convicted felon, Gary Lindsey, was holed up with four children who he eventually killed. Officer Valencia was shot in the head during the incident. 

Valencia, who has a wife and two young children, was unfortunately left in a coma. He was eventually moved to a recovering facility in Atlanta for treatment. However, he was brought back to Orlando in 2019.

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On Tuesday, October 20th, 2020, a retirement plaque and city proclamation were presented to his wife, Meghan Valencia. He was also awarded the prestigious purple heart, which the Orlando Police Department says has only been given to a select few. In addition, Valencia had previously shown interest in becoming a K-9 handler. So, a plaque was also presented, awarding him as an honorary K-9 handler. 

Meghan shared on Tuesday that her husband is beginning to show signs of improvement. She said that a few days ago, he began interacting with her by rubbing her head and giving her a kiss. She asks that the public keep Kevin and their family in their prayers. 

Tune in to FOX 35 Orlando for the latest Central Florida news.