I am writing to you this evening out of PURE CONCERN
for our community, our family and friends, and our law enforcement. We
all seem to be in a losing battle in the fight against drunk drivers, with a
target marked on each of our heads.
A majority of us know what it is like to lose a loved one,
and if you don’t, I hope you never have to go through it. But to lose a
loved one due to another who chose to selfishly drink and drive is heart
clinching. It’s a constant agonizing pain you bear every waking day.
However, oddly enough, even after hearing of the heartache it causes others,
people still make the selfish decision, blindly thinking “It won’t happen to
me” and continue to drink and get behind the wheel.
Well,
here is your reality check:
Its 9:59pm on August 9, 2007. You are on the phone with your friend
laughing, joking with one another, and then your phone beeps. There is a
call on the other line. You look at the caller ID and see that it’s your
Dad’s cell calling. Your first thought is, “well that’s odd that Daddy
would be calling me this late on a Thursday night.” You answer to the
voice of your mother who is clearly in distress. You hear her crying, you
begin to ask, in a panic, “What’s wrong mom?”, “What’s wrong? Tell
me!” She asks if you are at home…She ask if you are alone…Then in a voice
trembling with pain and drowning in tears, she says “Bubba and Nancy were in an
accident. They didn’t make it.”
The world around you fades for a second and you become
weak. Then the tears break free from your tear ducts. You are
crying, and gasping for air…uncontrollably.
You hear a faint voice saying “Misti! Misti!”, then you
realize it’s your mom on the phone crying out for you. She asks if you
are okay then proceeds to tell you the story as to what happened. Her
first words…”They were hit head on by a drunk driver.”
Those words still ring clearly in my head every day. I
remember the phone call as if it just happened. I remember the feeling in
my stomach, the pain in my heart. I wouldn’t wish, even on my
worse enemy, the pain I felt that night; the pain I feel right now.
But
wait, the story is not over yet…
It’s now 11:11pm on August 21, 2007. You are asleep, trying to catch up
on the lack of sleep you’ve had since that painful night. The phone
rings. Again, you look to the caller ID and it shows Mom’s cell.
You jump up, in a panic, worried about the words you are going to hear from her
mouth. She says, “Misti, your sister was in an accident.”
Your response,“WHAT!” in total disbelief that this is
happening again. Mom then proceeds to tell you that your sister was
driving down Lake Peigneur Road
when she was hit head on by a DRUNK DRIVER. A drunk driver who hit her, backed
up, hit her again, and as she got out of the car, almost ran her over, and
drove away.
He left her. The drunk driver left my sister
there. No care or concern as to whether she was hurt and/or killed.
No grasp of taking responsibility for his actions. He left her!
Luckily, she was unharmed. She managed to walk out of
the accident alive and well, with only one thing; the realism of the inhumane,
selfish people we have in this world.
I am now begging. I’m calling out to everyone; everyone who has an uncle
or an aunt that means the world to you, or a sister that you could not live
without. It is time we help thy neighbor. Help one another stop
these selfish acts. I’m sure if the tables were turned, you would want
someone to help save your loved one’s life.
I hope many people read this and I hope they share this story
and their knowledge with friends, family and children. This problem is
increasingly growing, especially in our community and we need to bind together
to make sure that you or your loved ones are not the next victim.
The
continuum of a losing battle…
Unfortunately, the story has yet to end.
Unfortunately, I am not only losing a battle with drunk
drivers, but now with the justice system who I entrust to protect my family and
friends against the life threatening dangers of a drunk driver.
Now let me recap this story for you.
Two weeks ago today, my uncle and aunt were tragically killed
in a car accident as a result of a drunk driver. Twelve days later my
sister was hit head on by a drunk driver. A drunk driver who smashed into
her, backed up, hit her again, and as she got out of the car, almost ran her
over, and then left the scene of the accident. He was found 2 miles or so
down the road in a cane field.
So where might you think this drunk driver would be
tonight? Sitting in jail, contemplating his actions?
Nope.
Instead, he was given a SUMMONS and released. A simple
summons and set free back into the streets of our community even though he
almost killed someone. He wasn’t even required to post a bond.
Please tell me how I am supposed to feel safe in my
community. Please tell me how I am supposed to trust the justice system
with protecting our community. PLEASE TELL ME how I am supposed to know
that any one of us will not be the next victim. Please tell me.
(Original Air Date: 10/10/06) Dottie is concerned for her 22-year-old daughter, Carly, because her drinking is out of control. Carly has already been arrested for driving under the influence, but she still drinks and drives! Dottie fears Carly will end up killing herself or someone else. Carly says she knows she has a problem, but drinking is the only way she can have a good time. Then, Heather and Sierra's brother was killed by a drunk driver, Michael, who also happened to be his friend. Michael received a sentence of five to 11 years, but wants his time reduced. He joins the show via satellite from prison and has a proposal for Dr. Phil. See what Dr. Phil has to say to this offender and talk about the show here.
