SOLDIER BODY RETURNED

SOLDIER BODY RETURNED

Say hello good evening.

We're glad you're here tonight.

I'm veronica jean seltzer.

And i'm tom kenny.

In our top story at 11... tonight...friends...f amily...and strangers lined the highway to pulaski county to give a final welcome home to a 22-year-old soldier...who died on his birthday, while trying to help others in texas according to fort hood officials... specialist jakob cole aton, of somerset, was directing traffic on an interstate, around a wreck between two cars last week, when the driver of another car, hit and killed him.

Abc 36's monica harkins brings us to pulaski county tonight where a motorcade brought him home.

"first woma:jakob was a kind soul he was just a giving person."

"mitsy:as melissa and jake would describe him, his mom and dad, he was just a loving kid that helped out in everyway that he could."

Even in jakob aton's last moments that's what he was doing...helping.

"mitsy: i just think this is the least we can do is honor him."

Aton drove past a small crash in texas on august 12th.

Police say he had pulled over and was directing traffic...when a car hit and killed him.

August 12th...the same day as his 22-nd birthday.

His family talked to him just before.

"mitsy: they got to talk to him on his birthday.

Other woman: "they got to see him open his presents sing happy birthday to him.."

His family not realizing that facetime would be the last time they got to see his face.

"captain mathew tomilson:a life that didn't need to be lost."

Captain matthew tomilson with burnside fire department was just one of dozens of first responders who came to pay respects...and share a reminder.

"tomilson: slowing down and moving over is another big issue we face and uh it's hard to believe this happened to him."

So they stood...family... friends.holding signs, flags, candles "you should try to be more like him."

And strangers who say it could have been their son... kevin hall"my son was overseas been to iraq he's at fort campbell he's a staf yeah it jut brings it close to home."

But everyone there could agree..

"it was such a remarkable, tragic, way he passed but going out helping another human i mean you can't beat that."

Literally giving his life for others...a legacy so fitting for a man like aton.

In pulaski county, monica harkins, abc 36 news.

### the visitation and funeral for specialist aton... are this weekend.

The visitation is saturday morning at eleven, at pulaski funeral home.

The funeral service is saturday afternoon at one, also at the funeral home.

Aton will be buried at beech grove