In a heartbeat, Ruben Lujano and two other men, good friends Daekwon Cunningham and Martese J. Williams, died together this week after stepping out of their cars following an accident on I-57 in West Pullman.

As Lujano, 50, drove home after working Tuesday, it was already early Wednesday, and he had a day to look forward to. He had taken it off to celebrate his daughter’s 30th birthday and go Downtown to snap pictures by the Christmas tree.

He was almost home.

Instead, Lujano stood among two other men — strangers to him — when they got out of their vehicles after a crash.

Another car was approaching behind them on I-57 near 119th Street just after midnight. It hit and killed all three instantly.

Helping others came naturally to Lujano. It was part of his selfless nature, and it was ho

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