THE police officer who saved Lil Wayne after the rapper tried to kill himself aged 12 has died.
Robert Hoobler, 65, was found dead at his home in New Orleans on Friday.
The retired cop had been dubbed "Uncle Bob" by Lil Wayne after he was credited with saving the rapper's life in November 1994.
Lil Wayne – real name Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr. – had called 911 himself after firing the shot.
Hoobler made his way to the home before carrying the then 12-year-old in the back of a police cruiser after being told there no ambulance immediately available.
Nurses told the officer: "If y’all had waited for [an ambulance], … he would have died."
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Speaking in 2009 Hoobler said: “I’m proud of what he’s done.
"But I would’ve done the same for the guy no one ever heard about again.”
Grammy award winning Lil Wayne opened up about his battles with depression and suicide attempt in 2021.
He said: "How I knew I had mental health problems was I pulled the trigger."
The rapper – who has sold more than 120 million records – thanked Hoobler while accepting an award in 2018.
And in 2020, discussing the protests surrounding the death of George Floyd, Lil Wayne said: "My life was saved by a white cop.
"So … you have to understand the way I view police."
A cause of death for Hoobler has not been released.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) or text Crisis Text Line at 741741.
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