An experience that completely changed the way I think about impaired driving happened on October 16, 2024. That night, an impaired driver went the wrong way up an exit ramp and crashed into another car. The impact caused that car to hit the vehicle behind it, and the person in that car who was hit twice was left in critical condition. The impaired driver, who had just left a bar when he shouldn’t have been driving at all, ran away from the scene.

That person left fighting for their life was my mother. This accident didn’t just change her life, it changed mine and my family’s forever. Since that day, she has had to go through three major surgeries, and her recovery still isn’t over. I’ve been there since day one, helping her heal. When she first came home from the hospital, she couldn’t even move on her own. The ambulance had to carry her to her room, and every time we had to change the sheets, we had to roll her gently onto her side. She was in so much pain, and no medicine could take it away.

My mother has always been responsible; she's a professional truck driver with a CDL. That night, she was simply on her way to the gym. There was nothing she could’ve done to avoid that driver. Seeing her lying in a hospital bed, hooked up to machines and in so much pain, is something that will stay with me forever.

 I remember the day I found out; It was like my subconscious knew something was wrong but I didn’t want to believe it. There’s no way bad things happened to people all of the time but not my mom; couldn’t be. It's too sudden. I didn’t get a warning or time to prepare. Then again, in situations like those, who ever does. I had texted my mom that day and she didn’t answer, I was supposed to go to work and I wanted to confirm because she was supposed to take me but I got no answer, that was weird but I didn’t think anything of it. My mother used to get me from school everyday and that day my grandma came for me, still I thought nothing of it. When I went into the car. She was silent, a little awkward but I was just writing it off. We were still in the school parking lot getting ready to drive off. Then she said the words “Your mom got into an accident" that’s all I needed to hear I bursted out into tears. My mind thought only one thing, “Was she okay?” At that moment, I didn’t care if everyone at the school outside could see me crying. I thought back to the night before when I had last seen her. I hadn’t told her I loved her that night when she went off to the gym; I always did. I would give her a hug and say “I love you” before she left, but that night I only thought about it. Believing it wasn’t a big deal, I just told her goodbye. As we were driving, my grandma told me that she was alive and in the hospital. She was in ICU-step down so I could see her but my 8 year old brother couldn’t yet. I will never forget when my aunt told him what happened, his little scream “Momma” I almost broke down again, but I had to be strong for him. I wanted to see her as soon as possible, I needed to make sure with my own eyes she was still here, that she didn’t leave me. You never realize how much losing a loved one affects your life until it happens or gets close too. Even to this day I get teary eyed thinking about that day and the days that followed. 

This experience changed how I view driving completely. I have my permit now, and before I get my license, I plan to go to driving school so I can learn everything I can about being safe on the road. I want my mom to feel safe when she rides with me and to know that I take driving seriously  not just for myself, but for everyone around me. I never want to cause the kind of pain she went through or make another family live through what mine did. My mother was lucky to survive, and I’m forever grateful for that. The strength and resilience that she had through this tragedy has taught me responsibility, patience, compassion, and overall to treat people well. Because of her, I will always choose to drive sober, stay alert, and be the kind of driver who protects others. This experience shaped who I am today, someone who values life, safety, and the people I love above all else.