PENSACOLA, Fla. – A Naval Hospital Pensacola Sailor is being recognized for his quick thinking and decisive actions that protected a child wandering near Interstate 10 in September 2025.

Blake Molinaro, a behavioral health technician, was driving with his wife when they noticed a child alone near the roadway.

“We saw him on the side of the road and knew something wasn’t right,” said Molinaro. “We turned around immediately”. By the time the couple returned, the child had moved into traffic.

Molinaro quickly repositioned his vehicle, activated the hazard lights and used the car as a barrier to slow approaching drivers and shield the child from oncoming traffic. His wife approached the child and calmly kept him from moving back into the roadway while Molinaro contacted local authorities.

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260213-N-AT886-1073 PENSACOLA, Fla. (Feb. 13, 2026) Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Blake Molinaro, assigned to Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command (NMRTC) Pensacola, is presented a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal by Capt. Frank Axelsen, commander of NMRTC Pensacola at Naval Hospital Pensacola, Feb. 13, 2026. Molinaro's decisive, off-duty actions demonstrated the critical real-world application of his Navy training. When faced with a high-stress crisis involving a special needs child, he expertly applied his behavioral health skills to de-escalate the situation and ensure the child's safety. His courage and initiative reflect the highest standards of personal readiness and professionalism inherent in the naval service. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Jon Jezreel Andres)

260213-N-AT886-1073

260213-N-AT886-1073 PENSACOLA, Fla. (Feb. 13, 2026) Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Blake Molinaro, assigned to Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command (NMRTC) Pensacola, is presented a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal by Capt. Frank Axelsen, commander of NMRTC Pensacola at Naval Hospital Pensacola, Feb. 13, 2026. Molinaro's decisive, off-duty actions demonstrated the critical real-world application of his Navy training. When faced with a high-stress crisis involving a special needs child, he expertly applied his behavioral health skills to de-escalate the situation and ensure the child's safety. His courage and initiative reflect the highest standards of personal readiness and professionalism inherent in the naval service. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Jon Jezreel Andres)

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Photo By: Seaman Apprentice Jon Jezreel Andres

VIRIN: 260213-N-AT886-1073

Deputies arrived a short time later and took control of the scene.

Molinaro said his response was shaped by the Navy training Sailors receive to assess hazards, remain calm under pressure and protect others in dangerous situations.

“We are taught to make sure the scene is safe first,” said Molinaro. Even though this was not a medical emergency in the traditional sense, it was still an unsafe environment. I knew we needed to control the area and make it as safe as possible.”

As a hospital corpsman, Molinaro said he also relied on his medical training to evaluate the child’s condition and attempt communication.

"My first instinct is always to check a patient's status," Molinaro said. “I tried speaking with him, but he did not respond.”

Molinaro said the child appeared unable to communicate verbally, so he and his wife focused on keeping the child calm and preventing him from reentering traffic until first responders arrived.

For Molinaro, helping others is part of both his profession and personal values.

"I joined the military because I want to help people," Molinaro said. " It is important to assist those in need whenever you can.”

Molinaro's decisive and compassionate actions reflect the Navy’s core values of honor, courage and commitment, demonstrating that service to others extends beyond the workplace and into the community.