The jury praised his work during the nearly 40 years he practiced medicine, as well as his altruistic collaboration with organizations such as Caritas and Lions Club
José Luis Sarrió García, awarded by Benidorm Neighborhood Council as Exemplary Neighbour 2025
The presentation will take place on October 28th at 12 noon in the City Hall Plenary Hall
José Luis Sarrió García, known to many in Benidorm as "El Metge" or "El Doctor Sarrió," was named this Tuesday by the Neighbourhood Council as Benidorm's Exemplary Neighbour of the Year 2025. This recognition, awarded annually by the City Council, recognises individuals "who demonstrate outstanding and remarkable personal, civic, and ethical values" that can serve as a role model and inspiration for other citizens. The city's mayor, Toni Pérez, along with the Councillor for Citizen Participation, Ana Pellicer, welcomed the jury representatives to learn the name of the award winner and convey this decision to the awardee himself, whom the mayor congratulated on behalf of the entire municipal council via telephone call.
The mayor also congratulated the jury on this selection, highlighting that the winner exhibits "many values that, without a doubt, make him worthy of public recognition from his neighbours." The award ceremony will take place at a public event on Tuesday, October 28th, at 12 noon, in the plenary hall of Benidorm City Hall.
José Luis Sarrió García was born in the Alicante town of Beneixama on March 7, 1934, into a family deeply connected to medicine. The son of Leandro Sarrió Pérez, a physician in Benidorm from 1958 to 1967, and the grandson of a doctor on his maternal side, he inherited the vocation for service that has marked his entire life.
He graduated in Medicine, specialising in Traumatology, from the University of Valencia in 1960. Since he arrived in Benidorm in 1958, his life has been dedicated to caring for others. In the 1960s, when Benidorm was beginning its tourist transformation, José Luis took on the challenge of serving a growing population with dedication and compassion, supporting his father in his practice. In 1966, following his marriage and his father's retirement, he settled permanently in the city, continuing the medical and humanitarian work his family had begun. He was known for his warm hospitality, empathy, and dedication to service.
He has worked as a general practitioner at the Virgen del Sufragio outpatient clinic since its opening in 1976. As the years passed, his patient intake increased, reaching over 150, surpassing the quota assigned to any other physician. He also offered private medical care at his office on Gambo Street and attended emergencies at the then-Virgen de Fátima Clinic.
In his quest to expand his knowledge and in response to the growth of the tourism sector, he earned a degree in Occupational Medicine, providing services to numerous employees of the Rumasa group and Benidorm City Council, as well as to residents and tourists until his retirement at the age of 70.
He also participated in social projects, such as those run by Benidorm Lions Club, a non-profit organisation dedicated to humanitarian service. He joined the club with his wife, Fanny, serving as its president in 1991 and 1992, and he remains a member to this day. During this time working for this organisation, important projects such as the Benidorm Children's Traffic Park and the guide dog program for the blind are being addressed, along with numerous assistance to people in need.
Following his wife's long illness and her death in 2014, he joined Caritas, carrying out his charitable work at the Parish of Nuestra Señora del Mar in Benidorm until the pandemic of 2020.
His great passion has been pigeon breeding, and he was an active member of the "La Isla" Pigeon Breeding Society in Benidorm, with a history of pigeon breeding in the town. He also participated in the creation of Sierra Helada Pigeon Breeding Society, of which he is a founding member. He has served as president of both organisations, promoting coexistence and respect through this sport.
Since its inception, accompanied by his great friend Jaume Fuster Llorca, he has also been a regular participant in the "Taula del Bon Profit," an emblematic Benidorm tradition that has existed since 1972.
"The Neighbourhood Council jury has recognised that José Luis Sarrió possesses circumstances that demonstrate his enormous human and social qualities, making him worthy of this award over other finalist candidates," explained Mayor Toni Pérez, who also communicated the decision of this citizen participation body to the board of spokespersons for the entire City Council to be informed.
For her part, the Citizenship Participation Councillor stated that the jury in charge of selecting the 2025 Exemplary Neighbour, as stated in the rules, was made up of award winners in previous years and independent individuals from outside the nominations, all of whom were selected by the Neighbourhood Council itself.
Since this citizen distinction was launched, Benidorm Exemplary Neighbor Award has recognized the careers and values of Benidorm residents such as Francisco Fenoll Rostoll (2011), Antonio Gonzaga Picó (2012), Francisco Alvado Barber (2013), Carmen Cerdá Garrido (2014), María Rosa González Mata-Rubio and Juan José García Albarrán (posthumously in 2015), Casimiro Vila Esteban (2016), Eusebi Chiner Vives (2017), María Zaragoza Lloret (2018), Jesús Rosillo Jiménez (2019) and Bárbara Pérez Llinares (2023) and Ángel Olmo Quesada, winner of the 2024 edition.
