Daughter of LASD medic is escorted to school by his fellow deputies after he died of cancer

A week after a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department tactical medic died of cancer, fellow deputies escorted his young daughter to school on the year's first day of classes.

Gonzalo Galvez's death was announced Aug. 6 by the LASD's Special Enforcement Bureau.

On Wednesday, Mike Leum, an assistant director with the department, posted videos on social media that showed sheriff's deputies with Galvez's daughter at her school in Glendora.

"Escorted Gonzo's (RIP) daughter to her first day of school, because that's what family does," the videos' captions said.

One of the clips shows the young girl holding an official portrait of her father as she gives a hug to each of the deputies, who are lined up in row. Another video shows a Sheriff's Department helicopter flying over the campus as a tribute to Galvez.

On the day of Galvez's death, Leum posted a video on X that shows the tactical medic being hoisted from the snow-covered ground up to sheriff's helicopter hovering overhead during a search operation conducted in winter.

"Why does cancer take the best ones? Gonzo was an amazing tactical medic and saved hundreds of lives," the video's caption said, referring to Galvez by his nickname. "He's now been hoisted up to Heaven and sits at the right hand of The Father."

Galvez was part of the team that worked the department's Rescue 5 helicopter. He spent nearly 25 years with the department. He was 47.

The late deputy's law enforcement family wanted to make sure his daughter knew they are there for her and her family.

"He did so much for this community. He put his life on the line so many times for complete strangers and just his loved his job," sheriff's Sgt. Kamal Ahmad said. "So it was the least we can do."