HOUSTON — Being in the right place at the right time is one thing, but going the extra mile to help someone in need is another.
That's exactly what an H-E-B truck driver did for one Houston family.
Mark Sellers wasn't expecting to be honored on World Gratitude Day, but his actions earned him the praise.
A few weeks ago, Sellers was driving down Highway 99 when he saw a stalled car on the shoulder, and family standing outside of it.
"I happened to look over and see that she did have a baby in her arms," Sellers said. "The most important thing was just get in here, the heat index that day was 115."
James Mizell said the belt broke on his vehicle, and without air conditioning, he, his wife and their 8-week-old daughter were stuck in the dangerous heat on the side of a freeway during the evening rush hour with nowhere to go.
"He caught us at such a time where we were so vulnerable, and I just never expected that a truck driver would pull over when he has such a big vehicle and save us from a really hard time and a dire situation," Mizell said. "On that day, he was our hero. He was my baby's hero, too."
What seemed like a simple act of pulling over and letting the family cool off in the cab of his truck while they called for help, turned into so much more.
Sellers was celebrated by H-E-B on Thursday. His colleagues said helping others comes naturally for Sellers, who has been with the company for 14 years.
"I'm glad I was there. I told my boss that I'm not one for attention, but this was just a feel-good story once it all sunk in, I was glad and thankful it worked out," Sellers said.
Weeks later, Starla Mizell still feels grateful for Sellers' actions.
"Being a first-time mom, you don't ever expect to be in a situation like that. It's terrifying," she said. "I know that he was a vessel for God to help us, I know that for sure."
Sellers was granted a certificate making him an honorary deputy. He was also gifted an Astros jersey and tickets to Sunday's Astros game.