2022 GRAND MARSHAL
 

Captain Anthony Valverde is a paramedic who has been with the Glendale Fire Department for 18 years. He has been married to his beautiful wife Micaela for 16 years, and they have three wonderful children. Their oldest is 22-year-old Dominique, who is an aesthetician. Their son Christian is 20 and an EMT for Buckeye Valley Fire Department. Amaya, who is a student at NAU, is the youngest at 18.

On Mother’s Day of this year, Captain Valverde was with his family at Lake Pleasant when they came upon a family in a small boat that was capsizing. One of the elderly family members was unconscious in the water and tangled in the rope. The Valverde family immediately began rendering aid. They relieved the family member trying to hold the woman above water by cutting the rope and then holding the woman until Peoria’s Fire Department Boat arrived. Once the woman was being treated, they helped the family into their boat and brought them safely to shore.