lungs had been punctured, it felt like my body was on fire. The crash was in 2014. For a year, I had to very slowly and painfully learn to sit up again, bend my legs, learn to move and walk again. It was devastating to go through the separation from my family (my two children and husband), the painful surgeries, the grief process of not being able to do many of the things that I had loved, like running, or even being able to move my legs and take care of myself. I can remember being in a dark space emotionally, where I didn’t want to be around someone who had healed, because I wasn’t ready. Over time I pushed my body to move again, with the many surgeries (nine on my legs alone so far, although they anticipate more), and rehabilitation, and time I got to a place where I wanted to make a difference, I wanted to run again. Now I’m the one who can say, there is hope. Things change. We can heal and we can make positive change. I had made a goal to join a 5k and found the Walk Like MADD program online, I showed up that day with my family and connected with others wearing red shirts like myself who had also experienced
injury or whose loved ones had been killed. As I participated in that event I took the time to read each person’s story, their names, the date of the crash and deaths. I know that it wasn’t my fault this happened, but that day I (and sometimes still do) experienced survivor guilt because I was alive and they weren’t. I stand in their place, to be the voice for all of those who can’t speak because they were killed by drunk drivers. I had no idea what MADDwould come tomean to me. It’s my place to find support and connection. It is my place to have a voice. To join with others who have been devastated by these crimes with a purpose to prevent this from happening over and over. It’s my therapy. I never knew there were so many of us. I continue to walk with MADD, to bring awareness and change. As all of us walk together, we are walking to make a difference, to let the world know the impact these crimes have on people’s lives. I want to implore them to make safe choices, to plan ahead and never take even one minute for granted, because each moment in our lives is precious.
I want to implore them to make safe choices, to plan ahead and never take even one minute for granted, because each moment in our lives is precious.
Mothers Against Drunk Driving ® 13
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