“It has been my honor to carry Ambassador Walter’s mission forward and to see him recognized for all he did for the children of our community,” stated Lucy Morillo, President, Miami Children's Hospital Foundation.  “It was my privilege to say that I knew the Ambassador personally and I can assure you that he is smiling down on us all today grateful but humbled by this recognition,” said Juan Carlos Mas, Chairman of the Board, Miami Children's Hospital.

Ambassador Walters served in the Armed Forces during World War II and was awarded the Bronze Star for Bravery in Combat.  In the early 1950s, he served as the Chairman of the Florida Commission of Pilots and Port Warden of Dade County Seaport, leading a clean-up effort of the Miami River which led to the condemning of the Port of Miami, then run by the City of Miami.  He recommended it be turned over to the County thus creating a new port.  In 1956, Ambassador Walters was appointed as General Counsel to the Airport Authority of Dade County and Special Bond Counsel by the County Commission and helped create Miami International Airport.  From 1977 to 1979, Ambassador Walters served as the President’s Personal Representative to Holy See and as Ambassador to the Vatican.

The Ambassador’s dedication to the community is most strongly reflected in Miami Children’s Hospital, for which Ambassador Walters served as a member and then president of the Board of Directors, raising funds to build the hospital and support the hospital’s goal of caring for the children of South Florida and beyond.  As President of Miami Children’s Hospital Foundation, he led the way in raising $150,000,000 for the Miami Children’s Hospital Foundation to assure the hospital had the resources to continue to meet the needs of the community.

 
(L-R) Juan Carlos Mas (Chairman, Board of Directors of Miami Children’s Hospital); Dr. Narendra Kini (President, Miami Children’s Hospital); Rebeca Sosa (Miami-Dade County Commissioner, District 6); Mrs. Susan Smith (daughter of Ambassador David Walters); Eric Fressen (Florida State Representative); Lucy Morillo (President, Miami Children's Hospital Foundation); Esteban Bovo (Florida State Representative)