Grieving family remembers loved one as hero

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (KCTV) - A grieving family is remembering their loved one as a hero.

Jorge Recio was killed when he jumped into action on Sept. 29 to help save his neighbor under attack.

Recio and his wife Liliana had just come home from closing on their new house. When they heard screams from their neighbor’s home, Recio immediately went to check it out.

“He called me and said, ‘Lock all the doors. There is someone hurting the neighbor. Make sure you stay in,’’ Liliana said.

What was going on at the neighbor’s house was unimaginable--a random violent crime spree, starting with a stabbing and ending with Recio helping protect his neighbor’s wife and kids.

“I ran outside, and I just kept hearing, he got shot, he got shot,” said his daughter, Arleth Recio.

Recio was rushed to the hospital. But on Oct. 11, he died.

“He was the person that at -- no matter what time of the day it was or where he was -- he was going to find a way to help you,” Liliana said. “He always lived by, if you do good, then good is going to come back.”

Recio died doing exactly that and will forever be remembered as a hero.

“I know him stepping out and helping without even thinking twice about what could have happened or what was going to happen. He just did,” Liliana said.

Recio now lives on through them. Arleth is a senior in high school and wants to be a pediatrician.

“I don’t want to disappoint him; he also would not want to be the reason I gave something up,” Arleth said. “Even through all this, I know that I have to keep going.”

There is a GoFundMe if you’d like to donate to the family during this tough time.

As for the man accused of killing Recio, Tyler Rizer faces two murder charges. He’s also accused of killing Juavvion Bagsby who was trying to protect his family. Rizer is scheduled to be arraigned in December.

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