Austin Flores, the H-E-B warehouse employee who died days after an accident at work, passed away a day before his 28th birthday, his mother said.

Austin Flores, the H-E-B warehouse employee who died days after an accident at work, passed away a day before his 28th birthday, his mother said.

Courtesy of Brenda Flores

Austin Flores, the H-E-B warehouse employee who died days after an accident at work, feared clocking in every day, his mother Brenda Flores says. Her 27-year-old son spent the last seven years employed at the H-E-B Distribution Center on 4710 N Pan Am Expressway near Rittiman Road, the same location where another employee died after showing signs of distress while working nearly six months ago.

Brenda told MySA that her son went to work at the H-E-B warehouse on Saturday, April 4, as he always did. However, that morning, she said Austin told her he was operating a pallet jack in a hallway when another employee operating a forklift came out of a refrigerated room and struck him on the side. Austin jumped off the pallet jack and hit the concrete floor, she added.

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The grocer did not provide many details about what type of accident occurred. It is unclear if the injuries he sustained from the accident led to his death.

Austin, who was a beloved son, brother and friend, died on Wednesday, April 8 — a day before his 28th birthday. The family has launched a GoFundMe page that has raised $2,466 as of 2 p.m. on Thursday, April 16.

“He wasn’t going to war — why was he so fearful?” his mother said. “… I think H-E-B really needs to take a step back and really make changes as to their employees, their protocols… I mean, this is two families that are now shattered. We’re hurting. It’s unfair.”

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Austin Flores worked at the H-E-B warehouse for seven years, his mother said.

Austin Flores worked at the H-E-B warehouse for seven years, his mother said.

Courtesy of Brenda Flores

H-E-B warehouse employee dies after work accident

H-E-B told MySA that Austin was treated on-site and chose to be taken to a clinic after the accident. The company added that Austin was released from the clinic the same day with limited restrictions, went home and also had follow-up appointments scheduled. His mother said an X-ray taken at the clinic revealed he had a broken ankle.

After being discharged from the clinic, Brenda cared for her son for the next four days. She said he was in so much pain due to the ankle and the hematoma on the right side of his body. A hematoma is a localized collection of clotted blood outside blood vessels, often caused by trauma, injury, or ruptured vessel walls, according to the Cleveland Clinic. 

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Brenda said her son wasn’t worried about the hematomas, despite them being the size of a “personal watermelon.” He couldn’t lie down straight and couldn’t sit down for too long due to the pain, she said. Austin was slated to return the week of death. 

In the same home he was raised in, Austin died, Brenda said. The Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office told MySA Austin’s cause of death was pulmonary thromboembolism, which the office described as a blood clot in the lung. The manner of death was ruled an accident. His mother believes his injury led to the blood clot. 

“Our entire family is devastated,” Brenda said. “This was not supposed to happen. My son had a H-E-B warehouse job. He wasn’t deployed to a war zone. He was a good young man. He was supposed to come home.”

The family of Austin Flores started a GoFundMe page to help cover funeral expenses.

The family of Austin Flores started a GoFundMe page to help cover funeral expenses.

Courtesy of Brenda Flores

Family of H-E-B employee calls for safety changes

H-E-B told MySA on Thursday, April 16, that it is “incredibly heartbroken” at the loss of one of its partners. The company wrote, “We have been in regular contact with Austin’s family, and we are actively working directly with the family and the funeral home to cover expenses and support their needs during this difficult time.” 

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Brenda said it breaks her heart because she believes this could have been prevented, especially after a former H-E-B employee, 27-year-old Teresa Dominguez, died on Oct. 24, 2025. She allegedly sustained an injury involving a forklift, according to the San Antonio Police Department. Brenda is calling for accountability and for changes to safety protocols.

“Six months, and nothing has changed. No major safety improvements. Nothing was fixed,” Brenda said. “My son should have been transported to an ER immediately from hitting that floor at H-E-B, no excuses, no exceptions. And now my son is gone, too. I am not here out of anger. I am not here to attack anyone. I am here because I am a mother who lost her baby. I am heartbroken. And nothing, nothing on this earth can ever bring Austin back.”

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) opened an investigation into the October 2025 case on the day of the incident. The case is labeled as an accident and remains open as of Thursday, April 16, according to public records. OSHA is also investigating Austin’s April 4 incident.

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H-E-B released the following statement regarding workplace safety:

“In all parts of our business, safety is of the utmost importance for H-E-B. At each location, we have dedicated safety teams and strict safety protocols in place, and we are constantly looking for ways to improve safety for our Partners. We also provide third-party licensed medics on-site to treat and evaluate injuries. Typically, an ambulance is called any time the Partner requests or if the on-site medic determines, in their medical opinion, that an ambulance is necessary. After evaluation, Austin elected to go to a clinic, where he was discharged with work restrictions, given medications, and scheduled for follow-up appointments, including a visit with a specialist. Austin will forever be in our hearts, and we are here to be by his family’s side.”Â