There are several routes he can take home from work. Somehow, the one Ben Newell took Wednesday put him about 10 seconds behind a horrific two-car wreck.
He was just minutes from his Douglas County home, but Newell stopped. It was instinct. The first one out of his truck, Newell ran across Ga. 5 and toward the boys he heard screaming.
“I heard the one driver screaming to ‘Please help, God, please help,” Newell told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Thursday.
That driver, 17-year-old Darien Whitfield, and his two passengers, Reginald Benson and Pierre St. Brice, were all seriously injured in the crash. But it was the driver of the other car, 16-year-old Joshua Murphy, who needed immediate attention. Josh was gasping, and Newell said he and another stranger had to get him out, especially because a small fire ignited from the crash.
Newell grabbed Josh by his head and arms while another young man grabbed the boy’s legs, and two carried Josh to the shoulder of the road. He noticed Josh was about the same age as his own son.
“I began to pray with him,” Newell said. “I began to pray.”
Josh wasn’t responsive, but Newell let the boy know he was there. He asked Josh to squeeze his hand while he cradled his head.
“Talk to me buddy. Talk to me,” Newell said.
Paramedics arrived and took over, trying to revive Josh. But the Chapel Hill High junior died at the scene.
Before leaving, Newell went to each of the three boys from the other car, stopping to pray with each one and let them know they weren’t alone. When he finally went home, Newell said his life had been forever changed.
On Thursday, investigators had not yet determined what caused Josh to lose control of the 2004 gold Chevrolet Malibu he was driving. The Georgia State Patrol said Josh was northbound when he crossed the center line and struck another Malibu traveling southbound.
Darien Whitfield was driving a 2003 silver Malibu when the wreck happened, around 6:20 p.m. He was taken to Atlanta Medical Center, while his two passengers were taken to Grady Memorial Hospital. All three boys were from Winston.
While they should have been taking final exams and eager for the holiday break from school, Chapel Hill students were instead grieving the loss of a classmate. Principal Sean Kelly notified the school community of Joshua Murphy’s death in a letter posted on the school’s website.
“The death of any young person is a loss that affects each of us in one way or another,” Kelly wrote. “Condolences go out to his family and friends as well as our school family and community.”
By Thursday morning, many students already knew about the crash from social media, including a football teammate, Quincey Shelton.
Josh and Quincey both played safety and had been friends since middle school, Quincey said Thursday. He was shocked to find out it was Josh, always full of energy and motivated, killed in the wreck.
“No one could not like Josh,” Quincey said. “He was a fun-loving kid to be around.”
The son of a pastor, Josh was religious and wasn’t shy about letting others know, his friend said.
“Josh gave his life away to the Lord early on in life,” Quincey said. “He always did the right thing.”
Thursday night, the Chapel Hill community gathered for a candlelight vigil to honor Josh. The Murphy family’s church, Atlanta Revival Center, rallied to help Pastor Vance Murphy, his wife and the couple’s younger daughter.
“We prayed all night and six hours today and we did not get Josh back,” Vance Murphy posted on Facebook. “Hardest thing I’ve done is make funeral arrangements for my son.”
Newell said he’s been in touch with Josh’s father through text messages. Newell said he just did what he’d want someone to do for his own child, if the time ever came. And he’s praying for a speedy recovery for the injured boys.
“I was supposed to be there for that moment and be there for his mommy and daddy who couldn’t be there at that second,” Newell said. “It’s nothing that I’m ever hoping would ever happen to anyone else.”
The viewing for Josh will be Sunday at Hightower Funeral Home from 4 to 8 p.m. The funeral service will be held Monday at 1 p.m. at Church at Chapel Hill.
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