A UPS driver was found unconscious in his truck during a delivery in Southern California last Saturday and was pronounced dead.
Temperatures in the area reached the upper 90s that day.
Esteban Chavez Jr. of Downey collapsed in his work truck just a day after he turned 24 years old, PEOPLE reported.
His family believes he died of a suspected heat stroke.
“He collapsed off his seat in the truck,” the man’s father, Esteban Chaves Sr., told the outlet. “By the time anyone realized it, which was the owner of the house where he delivered the package, and that was about 20 minutes after my son already collapsed.”
“By time first responders showed up. Obviously, it was a little too late,” Chaves Sr. continued. “I’m still shocked. I can’t really believe it. My son just turned 24 on Friday.”
According to Chavez Jr.’s dad, he had been working for UPS for four years and had just returned to work the day before he died from taking a leave due to a shoulder injury.
The official cause of his death is still under investigation.
Chaves Jr.’s family hopes the incident will serve as a lesson for those who work in higher temperature environments to take precautions, drink water, and keep cool.
UPS expressed its sorrow: “We are deeply saddened by the loss of our driver Esteban Chavez, and extend our deepest condolences to his family and friends,” a statement to PEOPLE reads. “We are cooperating with the investigating authorities and are respectfully deferring questions about this incident to them.”
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