A Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO) deputy is being recognized for extraordinary bravery after risking his life in the moments following a deadly helicopter crash in Pompano Beach.
During an emotional award ceremony held Thursday in Davie, BSO officials honored Deputy Mitchell Machado with the Medal of Honor—one of the agency’s highest awards—for his selfless actions on August 28, 2023, the day Air Rescue 85 went down.
That morning, while monitoring traffic at the intersection of Atlantic Boulevard and Dixie Highway, Deputy Machado saw thick black smoke trailing from an aircraft. Without hesitation, he alerted dispatch and raced to the scene, tossing down his motorcycle and running toward the burning building.
“I remember throwing my motorcycle down to the ground and running towards the building,” Machado recalled. “As I left [an adjacent] apartment, I faintly heard cries for help.”
He attempted to break into the unit where the cries came from, but the impact-resistant windows held firm. As he searched for another way in, the apartment exploded, knocking him back.
Inside that unit were Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Terryson Jackson and resident Laurean Wheaton. Both were killed in the explosion.
“That’s tough to think about,” Machado said, holding back emotion. “It’s hard to think about. And I’m sorry for them.”
Despite the blast, Deputy Machado continued helping others evacuate as fire and debris spread through the area. His helmet was later found to have been struck by shrapnel, a visible reminder of how close he came to serious injury or worse.
“If not for the heroic action of Deputy Machado and other deputies on scene that day, casualties would have been much higher,” his captain wrote in the official award nomination.
During Thursday’s ceremony, never-before-seen body camera footage of the chaotic and explosive moments was shown, highlighting just how close the deputy came to losing his life.
“It is an honor, it’s a blessing to receive this,” Machado said. “But at the end of the day, we were just doing our job.”
The tragedy claimed two lives, but thanks to Deputy Machado’s quick response, many others were saved. His bravery stands as a powerful reminder of the sacrifices first responders make each day—and their commitment to running toward danger when others run away.
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