NEW ORLEANS — Two victims of last month's deadly pileups on I-55 were remembered Thursday. Seven people were killed that day, including a father and his young son. Nakia and Mason Gaines died when fog and smoke brought the interstate to a standstill.
Thursday, the father and son were remembered, with friends and family gathering outside George Washington Carver High School that Nakia attended.
Nakia Gaines had just celebrated his 49th birthday, his mother Lizette Gaines told WWLTV, "He was the sweetest person, he was a great father, a great, great grandfather.
"He was just like the pillar in the family. He was an entrepreneur, he built his business up."
A father to six and a grandfather to five, Nakia's family says he made a difference to those he encountered. "Everybody just clung to him, you know because he would be there for you, he would give the shirt off his back," said his mother.
He and his six-year-old son Mason were travelling on I-55, when fog and smoke caused three large pile ups in October.
"His daughter called me and asked had I heard from him... and I said no. And she said, 'Usually I heard from him by now.'"
Ms. Lizette says she couldn't get a hold of him, so the family called his job and then hospitals. After no word on her son and grandson's whereabouts, they contacted state police. 11 hours later she got a call no mother ever wants to receive.
"He called me back and when he said, 'I'm sorry,' I lost it, cause I know what that means you know, when they say I am sorry. So I just dropped and started screaming. Cause I know what that meant"
Ms. Lizette is now left to scroll through old text messages, the last words she shared with her son. "It was so many I love you mama. I love you. I love you. I am going to call you when I get off."
While his sister, signed her love for her brother.
Red, black and white balloons filled the sky, and family and friends second lined, to celebrate the life of Nakia and Mason Gaines.
► Get breaking news from your neighborhood delivered directly to you by downloading the new FREE WWL-TV News app now in the IOS App Store or Google Play.