Classmates Spell Out 'Hero' For Miami Teen Who Died Saving Others

MIAMI, FL — Christian Burgos is not only being remembered a hero, his classmates spelled it out for everyone to see. Hundreds of students at Booker T. Washington High School in Miami formed the word "hero" outside the school Thursday as a tribute to the 17-year-old from Miami who died a day earlier after saving a 9-year-old boy and his mother while they were swimming at Virginia Key in rough surf.

"Think twice before you criticize today's youth," Miami-Dade school chief Alberto M. Carvalho said. "There are heroes amongst them."

Carvalho described Burgos as a giving teen who left an indelible mark on those who knew him. He said Burgos' courageous actions will live on forever.

A GoFundMe set up to help the teen's family with expenses had raised more than $41,000 as of Friday.

Watch the emotional tribute to Burgos courtesy WFOR-TV:

"His family doesn’t have the capacity to pay for the hospital bill, his mom is a single mom and his dad was recently deported to Nicaragua," GoFundMe organizer Lidia Zamora said.

Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, Florida Sen. Rick Scott and Miami's congressional delegation have lent their support to efforts to allow the teen's father to return to Miami for his son's funeral on humanitarian grounds.

"We want to make sure that Christian's dad is there with him for his last few moments, therefore we are pushing the funeral till further notice," Zamora said Friday on GoFundMe.

Carvalho announced the creation of a scholarship to honor Burgos. "Through his own investment and others who in the community who have stepped up, the scholarship stands at more than $20,000," a school district spokeswoman said. "It will go to recognize students who have gone above and beyond. It will be awarded through the Foundation for New Education Initiatives."

WFOR-TV in Miami reported that Burgos’ grandmother, Enriqueta Zamora, said her grandson also saved a West Palm Beach girl from drowning last year.

The GoFundMe generated some 1,000 donations. Many people left messages with their contributions.

"What a courageous young man. God needed another angel," wrote Mary Flores. "My condolences to your family. My heartstrings were pulled as I’m a single mom of two teenagers as well. I had to contribute to this family somehow."