An 18-year-old recent high school graduate was killed while trying to help strangers after a crash on a Texas freeway, leaving his family and friends mourning a young man they say had spent much of his life helping others.
Ahmed Habib Fadi Dwabe, known to loved ones as Habib, was struck and killed early Friday, Sept. 18, after stopping at the scene of an earlier wreck on Interstate 35W in Fort Worth.
Fort Worth police said the initial crash happened around 2:30 a.m. near Felix Street, south of downtown.
Dwabe and several friends had reportedly been returning from the Fort Worth Stockyards when they came upon the wreck and stopped to help.
Family friend Sonya Espinoza told WFAA that Dwabe immediately ran toward one of the damaged vehicles.
“He jumped out and was trying to help the first car he saw,” she said.
Police said Dwabe was then struck by another vehicle while outside helping at the scene. He died from his injuries.
The Tarrant County Medical Examiner later identified Dwabe and determined that he died from blunt-force trauma. His death was classified as an accident.
One person from the original crash was also transported to a hospital, according to local authorities. The chain of collisions forced police to close both directions of I-35W between Seminary Drive and Interstate 20 for several hours Friday morning.
Police arrested 27-year-old Sergio Escorza, who is accused of striking Dwabe.
Escorza faces an intoxication manslaughter charge, according to police and local reports. The charge is an allegation, and guilt would have to be established in court. Investigators have not yet released a complete reconstruction of every impact involved in the crash.
Dwabe had only recently graduated from Joshua High School, but those who knew him said his instinct to stop and help was entirely in character.
Nearly a decade before his death, Dwabe made local news for another act of kindness.
At just 9 years old, he grew his curly hair long because he wanted to donate it to a child battling cancer. The decision even created a dispute with his school district because his long hair conflicted with its grooming policy at the time.
Friends say that same generous personality stayed with him as he grew older.
“He was one of a kind,” friends told NBC 5 while remembering him as funny, loving and joyful.
His mother, Faye Abunijmeh, shared a heartbreaking tribute after his death.
“No more good morning kisses. No more goodnight kisses,” she wrote, adding that her son and his friends had simply stopped because they wanted to help.
Friend Daniel Rodriguez said he had been laughing with Dwabe shortly before the crash.
“I really love him. I really miss him,” Rodriguez told CBS Texas.
The case remains under investigation.
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