'Miracle baby' conceived after NYC cop was ambushed and killed gets a $20K ... trends now
The unborn 'miracle' child of a slain NYPD officer has received a $20,000 college scholarship.
Dominique Luzuriaga Rivera, the widow of rookie officer Jason Rivera who was shot down and killed by a career criminal last year, said she was granted the money for her unborn child's future from The First Responders Children's Foundation, calling it a 'blessing' that will keep her husband's memory alive for years to come.
Luzuriaga announced in January that she conceived a child through in-vitro fertilization using her husband's sperm, which was harvested while he was in the hospital before his untimely death at the age of 22.
The First Responders Children's Foundation immediately sprung into action, and reached out to her about setting up a scholarship for Rivera's child — who is due to be born next month.
'This child, baby Rivera, will be able to pursue higher education without hopefully too much financial burden,' Jilian Crane, the CEO and president of the organization told the New York Post.
'We can't take away the grief. We can't take away the sorrow. But maybe we can take away the financial [strain].'
Dominique Luzuriaga Rivera, the widow of rookie officer Jason Rivera who was shot down and killed by a career criminal last year, announced in January that she is pregnant with her slain husband's child
Luzuriaga conceived a child through in-vitro fertilization using her late husband's sperm. The two are pictured here on their wedding day in 2021
Rivera was just 22 years old when he was gunned down by a career criminal in Harlem. His child is now receiving a $20,000 scholarship in his memory
Rivera and his partner Wilbert Mora, 27, were responding to a call about a family dispute in a Harlem apartment on January 21, 2022 when they were ambushed by career criminal Lashawn McNeil, 47.
Both officers were critically shot before another officer, Sumit Sulan, shot and killed the gunman.
Rivera was pronounced dead later that night, while Mora was pronounced dead four days later.
Speaking of the tragic night at her husband's funeral last year, Luzuriaga said she only found out about Jason's condition after seeing that two officers were fatally shot on the Citizen app.
She said she immediately rushed over to Harlem Hospital, where the two officers were transported in the aftermath.
'I couldn't believe you left me. Seeing you in a hospital bed, wrapped up in sheets, not hearing you when I was talking to you broke me. I asked why. I said to you, "Wake up, baby. I'm here,"' Luzuriaga said in an emotional eulogy.
'The little bit of hope I had that you would come back to life, just to say goodbye or say, "I love you," one more time had left. I was lost.
