I want you to imagine waking up one day and everything about your life is different. You no longer have the home you made years of memories in, you do not have the vehicle you worked tirelessly to get for your family, and you no longer have a reason to wake up anymore. The family you dreamt of having your entire life is gone. You are left with just yourself. Nothing more.
On September 20, 2014, a day after my husband Corey’s 22nd birthday we loaded our 15-month-old baby, Parker, in the car on a Saturday afternoon and headed to an appointment.
Destiny’s husband Corey and son Parker. (Courtesy of the author)
We were just miles from our destination on a rural country road when we were struck at 87 miles per hour nearly head-on. That minivan we worked so hard to get now looked like a crumpled-up soda can.
The pain of losing my family in a split second cannot be put into words. It is a pain that never truly goes away, it is a pain that stays with you forever. You are constantly in a state of feeling homesick when you are home. It is a pain that makes you feel lonely when you are in a room full of people who love you.
The next time you choose to get behind the wheel after drinking, I want you to imagine reading an autopsy of your baby and significant other. I want you to imagine planning their funeral.
Destiny’s husband Corey with son Parker
Video
The truth is, drinking and driving is not a mistake. It is simply a choice. A choice that can flip a family’s world upside down and shatter hearts. Yet somehow drinking and driving is still socially acceptable.
We go to restaurants and see more than half of the tables drinking and then driving after doing so. We go to summer gatherings, concerts, birthday parties, happy hours and then witness the same thing. No one seems to bat an eye.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE OPINION NEWSLETTER
After all, the average drunk driver will drink and drive on average 80 times before ever being caught.
I want you to choose to call a friend or ride share program. Two out of three people will be affected by a drunk driver in their lifetime. Drinking one, two or three drinks is still drinking and driving.
Plan ahead and let’s make a change.
Author’s note: This year for what should be Parker’s 10th birthday, we are honoring him and his amazing dad Corey by collecting birthday party supplies. The supplies will be donated to local crisis nurseries and the foster care system because no child should be without a birthday party.
