Friend says man killed trying to help teens displayed 'heroism'

Eduardo Hernandez, 2 teens killed after car slams into them after earlier crash

KENDALL, Fla. – A friend of a man who was killed after he stopped to help two teenagers involved in a crash said Eduardo Hernandez is a hero.

"Heroism is the courage and the urge to do things no matter what the cost," Robert Pelier told Local 10's Tamika Bickham. "He didn't think twice about getting out of the car."

Pelier was talking about Hernandez, who risked his life to help the teen girls.

"He could've easily stayed in the car and gone home," Pelier said Monday. "He was with his youngest in the back seat. He was with his dad in the front seat. And he decided that he would stop and help these young girls, not too much older than his own daughter, to see if they were alright."

It was early Sunday morning when Hernandez noticed Anapaula Saldana and Caroline Agreda, both 17, in distress near Southwest 157th Avenue and Southwest 56th Street. They had been involved in a crash with an SUV and Hernandez got out to check on them.

Moments later, another car driven by Christopher Masferrer, 30, slammed into Hernandez and the teens, killing them instantly.

"A family has been ripped apart by this tragedy, and these children will have known that their dad died doing an honorable thing," Pelier said.

Masferrer survived and was released from the hospital Monday.

Police are investigating if alcohol or speed was a factor in the crash.