Keandra Lewis was on her way home from work when she saw a Birmingham Fire and Rescue truck with emergency lights flashing in her rearview mirror.

She pulled over to let the rescue truck pass, not knowing that her first-born child – 22-year-old DeCarlos Perez Smith – was in the back, fighting for his life.

It wasn’t until hours later that she would learn her son had been shot and was on life-support at UAB Hospital.

She rushed to his side and pleaded with him to keep fighting.

“He was already really gone but they just gave us a chance to say our last words and give his dad time to come in from North Carolina,” Lewis said.

“I just told him I loved him and to keep fighting. He always pushed through.”

Smith was pronounced dead at 7:22 p.m. Friday, Nov. 22, 2024, at UAB, just 24 hours ha

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