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Brothers Honored With Do The Right Thing Award

MIAMI (CBS4) - Two South Florida teenage brothers received special recognition Thursday when they were honored for jumping into action after a car slammed into a bus bench, killing one person and injuring several others.

Eighteen-year-old brothers, Austin and Conrad Hines won the "Do The Right Thing" award. More than 800 Miami-Dade School students were nominated for the award, and the brothers are two of only 10 students who received it.

They recalled the sound the crash made, and the injuries.

"It was just a lot of moaning from people who got hit, and a lot of screaming from people on the side of the streets," Austin told CBS4's Natalia Zea.

The Hines brothers were in back of their house when they heard a car lose control and smash into the bus bench-injuring several people-and pinning one man under the car. They and several other good Samaritans lifted the car off of him.

"When we saw Eric under there, one of his legs was tangled underneath a little bit; so we had a couple people pull him out and we just had the car sitting on its side," recalled Conrad.

Sixteen-year-old Eric Quinn was a stranger to the teens. But they visited him in the hospital after the crash and have kept it touch with him. They say he's recovering well.

Thursday, thanks to their quick actions, the brothers received the Do The Right Thing award, in combination with the Miami Police Department.

"It was just human instinct to help a fellow person out. I couldn't have sat there and watched it happen knowing I could've helped," said Austin.

They wish though that they could have done more to save the woman who was killed in the crash; 83-year-old Mary Smith.

"We were trying to help that lady when she was there. It's like you see her one minute and you hear the following night that she passed in the hospital and it's sad. Because you thought you could help her," said Conrad.

But they're glad they were there to help someone who needed them. Austin credits the other good samaritans who helped, in saving Quinn's life, and he hopes others will take heroic actions.

"Any ordinary person can help. You just have to have the courage not just to stand aside and let the damage unfold."

As for the criminal case against the driver who slammed into that bus bench, Mark Derefaka, he is awaiting trial on 10 felony charges; including vehicular homicide, reckless driving, and driving without a license.

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