RICHMOND, Texas -- It’s been almost one week since Tiffany Reyes lost her best friend Huma Hanif.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration confirmed Wednesday Hanif is the 10th U.S. fatality tied to ruptures of a recalled Takata air bag inflator.
"The sun has not shined any brighter than it has every morning on my way to school. And that to me is her telling me I’m here. I'm watching you,” Reyes said. “She was just somebody that her smile would light up a dark room.”
The 17-year-old was driving on FM 762 near Gonyo Road when she hit another car. The accident happened right in front Rudy Corres’ barbershop. He said it looked like a minor fender bender, but when he ran out to help, he noticed a large gash on her neck.
“The impact wasn’t that bad to where the seatbelt could’ve did it,” Corres said.
He was right. The NHTSA confirmed Hanif’s 2002 Honda accord had a defective air bag. It was recalled several years ago because a part of it could explode.
Roman Williams was on the school bus driving by right after the accident.
“We didn’t know what was going on at first. Everybody was just like, 'Theres' somebody on the ground,'" Williams said.
He didn’t realize at the time, his classmate lay dying in the street, surrounded by Corres and his employees who were trying to give Hanif CPR. It would prove to be too late.
“Trying to comfort her because it seemed like she wasn’t going to make it,” Corres said.
Now an entire community is grieving the teenager’s death.
“Supposed to be the thing that saves you in accidents, not hurts you or causes you to lose your life. That’s crazy,” Williams said.
The pain so deep, because it could have been prevented.
“Get your airbags checked. You get your car checked so this doesn’t happen again,” Reyes said.