Man Awarded Broward Medal Of Valor For Saving Woman During Attempted Kidnapping

FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) - A man who saved a woman from what appeared to be an attempted kidnapping has been awarded a Medal of Valor by the Broward County Commission.

On September 9th, around 6 a.m., Edwin Zamora was sitting in his truck waiting for his work schedule to begin when he heard a woman screaming for help from a nearby alley.

"I just noticed all the screaming and I looked outside of my passenger side and saw the person being attacked," he said.

According to police, the woman had been walking in the 500 block of East Las Olas Boulevard toward the beach when a man ran up behind her. He grabbed her, choked her, and then slammed her on the ground before beginning to drag her.

WATCH: Police release video of wanted attempted kidnapper

Zamora grabbed a steel pipe from his truck and ran to the help of the woman.

"When he saw me with a piece of metal he started backing up a little bit and he started running away," he said.

The assailant then fled on a bike. Zamora then called the police and waited until an ambulance arrived.

"She was crying and thankful and saying can I give you a hug?" he said

Zamora said he and the woman still keep in touch and she's forever grateful.

Zamora said he did what he would have wanted someone to do for his family.

"You're thinking about your family, thinking about maybe this could be your wife, mom sister," he said.

In addition to the Medal of Valor, Zamora was honored with a proclamation designating the day, "Edwin Zamora Day."

The man seen in the surveillance video has not been identified yet, and detectives are asking the public for any information that may lead to an arrest. If you know anything, contact Fort Lauderdale Police.