Detective Robert Ruggiero had just ended his shift, and was on his way to pick up a honey-baked ham from his mother's house, when he came upon a car accident on I-95.

Ruggiero -- who was off-duty -- saw a man cradling a young boy, who was bleeding heavily. He rushed to help the boy, and his actions that day earned him honors from the town of Golden Beach last month.

Ruggiero, who comes from a family of law enforcement officers, says he was just doing his job.

''I'm honored that they selected me as officer of the month, but I didn't do anything spectacular,'' said Ruggiero, 35. ``I was there and did what I would expect anybody to do.''

The detective, who has been a police officer for 14 years, joined Golden Beach in 2007.

His mother is Detective Kathleen Ruggiero, a longtime officer with the North Miami police department. His late father, Anthony Ruggiero, was a sergeant with the North Miami Beach police department. And several of his siblings are also in law enforcement.

Being a cop is ''a way of life,'' Ruggiero said.

On Aug. 21, the father of the injured boy drove southbound on I-95 about 90 mph and hit another car, Ruggiero said. The child had a head laceration so deep his skull was showing. Ruggiero, who had a first aid kit in his car, wrapped the wound with a bandage.

The boy was taken to Jackson's Ryder Trauma Center. The father was arrested and charged with driving under the influence.

''I'm proud of my son,'' said Kathleen Ruggiero, who said she tried to teach the value of public service to her children -- 13 biological and 12 adopted.

''I work for God first, my family second and my police department third,'' she said.

Kathleen Ruggiero has been on television shows for caring for such a large family. In addition to her 25 kids, she has also cared for about 100 disadvantage children.

Robert Ruggiero has followed his mom's example in more ways than one. Not only is he a police officer, he and his wife Ailen also adopted a child.

Adding Roberto-Antonio, now 6 years old, to the family ''was the single greatest moment in my life,'' Ruggiero said.

And there is more good news for Ruggieros: He and his wife are expecting a child next year.

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