HOUSTON — Three weeks ago, Johnny Walker's family was told he may have been killed in a stabbing.
The homeless man's loved ones searched for him in hospitals and morgues, but he was nowhere to be found.
An unrelated tragedy turned Walker's hopes around when they saw him on television Thursday morning as he was hailed as a good Samaritan.
“Because we thought he had passed away, and the fact that he helped save this officer's life," Walker's sister, Monica Collins said.
Walker was there when a Harris County sheriff's deputy, who was involved in a high-speed chase of a robbery suspect, crashed into another car. The fiery collision killed a woman inside. Two children who were in the crash were also hurt.
Walker rushed to help those involved, including the deputy.
“And I asked him, I said, 'If you can hear me, Sir, shake your head, open your eyes and let me know if you can’t talk,' and he opened his eyes,” Walker said.
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Collins saw television news coverage of the crash and recognized her brother as one of the good Samaritans. She went to the scene and found Walker after weeks of searching.
"When we got to him, he was just really upset that he couldn’t help the lady,” Collins said.
Collins said they plan to put Walker up in a hotel for the next few days, and they hope to stay in touch.