BEAUMONT, Texas — A Southeast Texas FedEx driver is being noted for an act of kindness after he lent a hand to a terrified mother who's child was unresponsive and later died.
It's every parent's worse fear and although this story is heartbreaking it shows the love in our community.
Emmanuel Smith, of Hamshire, was on the clock when he stopped to fuel up his FedEx truck and what happened next was life changing for everyone involved.
It happened fast.
Connor Hinklin, 14, had been sick for a couple of days but doctors couldn't find anything wrong.
When things got worse his mother, Rachel Nuckels, of Jasper, decided to drive him to the ER. That drive became what is possibly the worst day of her life.
"He got sick in the car and that's when I pulled over to the gas station," Nuckels told 12News. "When I got out of the car he became unresponsive."
That Silsbee gas station is where Smith just happened to stop during his route to fill up his truck's gas tank.
"As soon as I hopped out of my work truck I hear Rachel screaming for help," Smith said. "If you could have heard her voice, I mean it's something I'll never forget."
Smith ran to Connor in the back seat while others called 911.
"I checked for a pulse, couldn't find one, I went to reposition his head because he was leaning to the side and when I did that he kind of gasped," Smith recalled.
Once paramedics arrived Smith had to leave but before he did, he stopped.
"The FedEx driver just came over just wrapped his arms around me and we're praying for me," Nuckels told 12News.
In that moment a thought ran through Smith's mind.
"All I could think about was what if it were my kid in that passenger seat," he says.
Now Nuckels is figuring out how to live without her baby boy.
"It's just never even a thought that you'd have to bury your own child," she says.
Though in pain she celebrates the years she had with Connor and the impact he had on everyone who got to meet him.
"The impact he had on people after his death, just the people who have come forward and have said what an inspiration he was to them. We want his life to be a light and we want his testimony to touch people's hearts," she said.
Connor was your usual teen who loved things like Minecraft and his Tie-dye hoodie.
"Kinda your typical teenager with the video games and the phone always in his hand but yeah he just he was a really good kind hearted kid," Nuckels remembers.
He wanted to be a worship leader his mom says.
"My goodness he loved to sing," She said. "The week before he passed away he participated in a fine arts competition and he had advanced to nationals."
As she continued to grieve she wanted to find the people who were there in what she says was one of the worst moments of her life.
"Thankfully we were able to locate the FedEx driver," she says. "What can you say to somebody but thank you and you're such a blessing to us."
A connection formed between she and Smith through Connor, who continues to bring people together as his story continues to live on.
"We're going to be connected for life," Smith explains.
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