NYPD Sergeant Joseph An was greeted by an unexpected fan‑fare as he and a group of 124 fellow officers were promoted to sergeant on Tuesday.
At the ceremony, Brooklyn residents Sasha Cheng (37) and her husband, Daniel Cheng (39), surprised the 28‑year‑old officer with a bouquet. The gesture honored the day a year ago when An rushed the couple to the hospital and helped deliver their then‑unborn child.
“It was a breached baby,” Sasha told The Post. “It definitely would have been life‑threatening for both the baby and myself had Sgt. An not been there at the time. It was through divine intervention.”
Their son, Royce, is now a healthy one‑year‑old.
The Chengs live in Bath Beach and were on their way to New York Presbyterian Hospital in Lower Manhattan for Sasha’s delivery when dense traffic stalled them. She recalled that it would have taken another 30‑40 minutes to reach the hospital on their own. “We actually saw Officer An’s vehicle, and we pulled over next to him,” she said.
She begged, “Can you please help us get to the hospital safely? I’m in a lot of pain.” Sgt. An answered, “Sgt. An made a call, and he escorted us to the hospital, and the staff were waiting for us, and the baby was born safely within 20 minutes of arrival.”
For the newly minted sergeant, it was just another day on the job. “I just wanted to make sure that I was able to get them to the hospital safely and make sure that everything was OK safely and quickly,” he said humbly. “And, you know, I’m just very grateful to be able to help in that situation.”
An said he has learned from many mentors and hopes to serve the same role for younger officers. “I had a lot of great mentors, and I want to become a great mentor to the cops that I work with,” he added.
He’s also looking ahead to his own future, expecting to marry his fiancée, Ashley Kim, next year. “I’ve worked hard, and I’m very grateful to be given the opportunity to become a supervisor and essentially inspire the minds of the cops I’m going to supervise,” he said.
From the Chengs’ perspective, they see his promotion as a fresh start for the cop who became their “guardian angel.”
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