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Community rallies around teen shot while helping murder victim

7 years 3 months 4 weeks ago Monday, November 28 2016 Nov 28, 2016 November 28, 2016 4:31 PM November 28, 2016 in News
Source: WBRZ

BATON ROUGE- Doing the right thing on Sunday night landed a 17-year-old Central High School student at Our Lady of the Lake Hospital.

Daniel Wesley did what most teenagers might not think about doing. He stopped to render aid to the dying. But, that act of goodwill changed his life.

"It's just second nature to both of our boys to do what needs to be done," Kathy Wesley said.

Daniel Wesley's mom and dad have been by their son's side since they got the awful news.

"Daniel was shot in the arm, the leg, and luckily they both went straight through," Wesley said. "Before and after he was shot, he was hit by the car."

Tonight, Wesley is recovering at Our Lady of the Lake. As he awaits another surgery, this one on his arm.

"We've had surgery on the leg last night," Wesley said. "It's looking good. The arm will be operated on tomorrow. It will be trickier. It shattered into 18 pieces."

From Essen Lane where Wesley had stopped to render aid, to Central High School where Wesley's classmates are rallying around him.

"We're very proud of him," Principal David Prescott said. "He is a hero, no doubt about it."

Out of 1,352 students, Prescott recalled Wesley being a stand-out student. He was part of a first responder training class at the school and that training kicked in.

"You can't help but know Daniel," Prescott said. "He's a friendly kid. He's always in service to someone else. He's come to me before this year with a fundraiser of his own to help someone out."

The Wesley family is well known to Baton Rouge EMS. His father was a longtime paramedic who is retired. His mother, also a first responder.

Just like Wesley, an ambulance had just pulled off from Our Lady of the Lake Sunday night and stopped to render aid to the victim on Essen Lane. That's when they came under fire.

"When he got out with the gun, the medics just started running trying to get away," Mike Chustz, EMS spokesman said.

Chustz says in the 30 year history of Baton Rouge EMS, this is the first time paramedics have ever been fired upon by a gunman. Fortunately, none of them were hurt. Tonight, the recovering teen had this message to those praying for him.

"Daniel wants to tell all of his friends out there, he's sending a shout out to them, and he's thinking of them as well during this time," his mom said.

Central High School is planning a free dress day to raise money for medical expenses for the Wesley family. They are also planning on selling bracelets to help out, just like Daniel has done for so many others. Wesley's mom says her son had just left the mall and was heading home when he stopped to help.

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