Gators linebacker Cristian Garcia is in Washington today for a special honor. (Photo: Lorraine Hoffman/For UAA Communications)
Garcia Receives Courage Award from 'It's On Us' Campaign
Tuesday, October 4, 2016 | Football, Scott Carter
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The UF walk-on linebacker made headlines in July for stopping a sexual assault.
By: Scott Carter, Senior Writer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Cristian Garcia did the right thing on a warm summer night in July. Garcia's actions did not go unnoticed.
As a result, Garcia is in Washington, D.C., today as one of three recipients of the Inaugural "It's On Us" Courage Awards. It's On Us is an initiative to put a stop to sexual assaults on college campuses introduced by President Barack Obama in September 2014.
A walk-on linebacker for the Gators, Garcia is being honored along with University of North Dakota student Nathaniel Schroeder and Megan O'Brien, a student at the University of South Carolina.
"This a great honor and it's pretty cool to be recognized for a good cause,'' Garcia said. Cristian Garcia
You may remember Garcia making national headlines in late July for his role in stopping a sexual assault behind 101 Cantina, a popular nightspot across University Avenue from campus where Garcia worked as a security guard over the summer.
Garcia was taking trash out behind the building when he noticed a man assaulting an unconscious woman. He confronted the man and after a brief altercation, the man fled. Thirty-four-year-old Christopher Shaw was later arrested on sexual battery charges.
When Garcia's actions were reported in the news media he became a semi-celebrity for a few days.
"I just didn't expect anything of it,'' he said. "All of a sudden, I'm getting like a million calls from reporters, literally bang, bang, bang, one after another."
Garcia shared his story and gained the attention of "It's On Us." As part of Garcia's trip to Washington, he is getting a tour of the Eisenhower Building, the Vice President's ceremonial office and the West Wing of the White House. He will be honored tonight during a reception at the home of Vice President Biden.
When Obama introduced the initiative two years ago, he shared why it's important for the movement to become a success.
"An estimated one in five women has been sexually assaulted during her college years -- one in five," the President said in a White House press release. "Of those assaults, only 12 percent are reported, and of those reported assaults, only a fraction of the offenders are punished."
Garcia's experience has made a strong impact on him.
Garcia met the young woman who was assaulted and her mother during a meeting with investigators not long after the incident.
"They just thanked me for what I did and said I gave them a lot of hope,'' Garcia said. "They embraced me. It was a good moment."
A Miami native, Garcia started his college career at Malone University in Ohio. He transferred to Florida Tech in Melbourne after a semester at Malone, and eventually to Santa Fe College in his quest to enroll at Florida.
While at Santa Fe, Garcia began to work in the UF football team's video department.
"I felt I could play at a higher level. I started working video to get a connection to the team,'' he said. "My plan was to try out. This was a long time coming."
Garcia made an impression in a tryout and dressed for his first game as a walk-on last season against Tennessee. He played in his first game against Michigan in the Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl.
"Anthony Harrell was ineligible. They were looking for someone to come up from the scout team,'' he said. "I just had a great three days of practice prior to the bowl game and Coach [Randy] Shannon told me we're moving you up ahead of some other guys."
Garcia followed his Gators debut with a strong spring camp and is now a regular on special teams, starting on the punt return and kick return teams.
Gators head coach Jim McElwain gave Garcia permission to go to Washington on Tuesday and rejoin the team later this week as Florida prepares to host LSU on Saturday.
It's a trip Garcia won't forget, the latest chapter in his unlikely story.
"I went to four schools in two years just to be here," he said. "It was a big program. I felt like I could do something at a program like this."
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