It was after a Christmas celebration in Michigan. Three kids slept in the back of the station wagon. Husband and wife sat in the front. There was some small talk among the two of them. When all of a sudden out of a fog bank, he saw a tractor trailer across both lanes of traffic, fearing that the station wagon would go under the truck he leaned over her and pushed her under the dash board. The kids still slept in the back of the car not aware of what was about to happen.

 

I awoke and could not breathe. The air was knocked out of my lungs. Everything was dark. I remember calling for Dad. “Did we hit a rock” I said. “No we hit a truck” Dad said. I started to cry. Dad told me I would be alright. He said it so calmly. Little did I know that the force of the crash threw him into the steering wheel and, broke his back. He sat there reassuring his son, while he had no feeling in his legs.

 

I sat in the ambulance with a deep cut to my thumb. My brother lay on stretcher to my left. My Dad lay on stretcher to my right. What had happened? One moment we celebrated Christmas with my Mom’s family and in the next moment the world had changed. When I visited Dad in the hospital, the doctor told my Mom he would be permenantly paralyzed from the waist down and would never walk again.

 

We spent three months in Michigan and tried to adjust to the new life style. We lost the station wagon. Most of the Christmas presents were gone. The lives of my mother and father changed forever. When the company, responsible came to the hospital to offer their apologies, my Dad told them he did not want their apology, he wanted a new car, they said “No”. “See you in court” said Dad.

 

The driver of the truck had been drinking alcohol. I am sure at one point when he climbed into the truck he thought, “I can drive.” I have felt worse. I can drive.  How many times have you stepped into your car after some social drinking and said the same thing. Well, I wish you would not. That simple decision can effect a family in a way you can not ever imagine. My family was going home , after celebrating a beautiful family holiday. Little did we know how a drunk driver would change our lives.

 

If you drink alcohol, your driving is effected. Please call a friend, a taxi, or take the bus.