SAN ANTONIO – Manuel and Kelly Soliz are mourning the death of their oldest son known as Manny, at James Madison High School, where he was a senior eager to attend Texas A&M in the fall.
"What could you not say? He was fantastic," his mother said.
"He was a great, respectful young man," his dad said. "I'm proud to be his father."
Already immersed in the JROTC program at Madison, they said Soliz was applying to join the A&M Cadet Corps, then upon graduation, become a Navy SEAL and make the Navy a career, with hopes of someday taking over his father's business.
"He had it all planned out," said the elder Soliz.
Just over a week after his 18th birthday, their son's dreams were shattered. Monday night Manny was the victim of a fiery crash on a dark access road along Loop 1604 that ends at Lookout Road.
San Antonio Police said the young man's Honda Accord was traveling over 100-miles-per-hour when it missed the turn, sending his vehicle airborne and tumbling over the railroad tracks, before it burst into flames.
His mother said her son had been hanging out with friends earlier in the evening, but he was alone in the Accord his parents gave him for his 16th birthday.
Soliz's father said he doesn't know why his son was going so fast.
Their message to other young people, "Don't. Don't do it. It's not worth it."
Col. David Lambert, Manny's JROTC instructor, said several of the 130 students in the program were trying to come to terms with Manny's death.
"Someone their age, getting ready to graduate, wanting to go to college, it is hard for some of them to deal with that kind of loss," Lambert said.
Northeast Independent School District sent a crisis team of counselors to the school to help the students.
Manny's parents said they hope others learn from their experience.
"Parents, tell your kids you love them every day, no matter what," Soliz said.
His wife said sons and daughters should do the same for their parents, "because you never know."