DRIVE SAFE |
On July 16th, 2003 - three 19 year old guys and one 21 year old guy where driving around my city in a 1963 customized Chevy Impala. I've never met those guys in person - but I've seen the car before. It was quite nice. Gold in colour with those tiny tires wrapped around a set of genuine spoked rims. About 4 AM - Wednesday morning - July the 16th - the driver of that car - one of the 19 year olds named Beau - lost control while driving FAR to fast on a narrow winding road. The car skidded off the road and slammed into a cement utility pole - literally ripping the car apart. All 4 passengers where thrown from the car. Two of the 19 year old guys - one named Ken and another named Travis - were killed instantly. Beau [also 19 years old] and another passenger named Adrian [the 21 year old] survived the crash - but only barely. Beau is still fighting for his life [As I write this] while Adrian is listed as being in stable condition. Considering how absolutely destroyed the car was - it's surprising that anyone survived. |
Can you even begin to imagine how YOU would feel if YOU were Beau?? [The driver of the car who survived the crash] What is it going to be like - for Beau - to know that he was responsible for the death of two of his best friends? [Not to mention the sons and brothers, friends and lovers of many other people] Then imagine how it would feel to KNOW that everything that happened COULD have been prevented. It's so unbelievably sad. And it can NEVER be taken back. It can NEVER be undone. Sure - accidents happen - but is driving like a mad man on a narrow, winding road in the dark of night - really an accident?? |
Am I pointing my finger at Beau [OR at what happened] and saying, "that could never of happened to ME?" Not at all. In fact - when I was Beau's age - I also took some unbelievably stupid risks while in my car. It's not easy - especially for a guy - to resist the temptation to 'show off' [Every now and then] while driving a few buddies around. But it sure IS a temptation that we SHOULD resist. I was lucky - nothing bad ever happened. And maybe some of YOU have been lucky. [Or will be - when you get your license] But maybe you won't be. Don't put yourself in Beau's shoes. For the rest of his life - assuming he survives - he will be living with what happened and with what HE did - EVERY SINGLE DAY. |
I like to speed - just as much as the next guy. I don't own a 300C SRT8 just to be SEEN in. I love going fast. It gives me a 'rush'. But there are OK times to drive fast [or at least faster than the speed limit] and there are really stupid times to drive fast. [Like the time Beau drove fast] Don't take unnecessary chances with your life - OR with the life of your friends. [or other drivers on the road - for that matter] |
The reason I'm telling you all of this is because I don't want ANY of you to die. [Or to be the cause of someone else's death] Resist the temptation to take unnecessary chances - and improve the odds in your favour of seeing another day. As I drove by the scene of the crash - late Wednesday evening - my heart sank. Already a make-shift memorial has been created. A few candles were burning next to a cross. There were also lots of flowers and a some teddy bears and a few pictures of the two guys who died. [Only a few hours before] A small group of teenagers - both male and female - were standing next to that memorial - crying and holding on to each other for support. Absolutely heart-breaking. |
I don't EVER want there to be a road-side memorial for YOU - OR for one of your friends - so please drive responsibly - especially on roads that are not very safe to begin with. And IF someone else is driving - and not being responsible - politely ask them to stop the car so you can get OUT. I want each and everyone of you to die of OLD AGE. [and nothing else] |
I've taken the liberty of adding two photo's of what happened to the CAR on that July 16th, 2003 morning. I hope the person who took these photo's is OK with me using them here. [I found them on the Canada.com website] if not - please let me know. I think it's important - however - for people to SEE for themselves just how much damage CAN be caused BY an 'accident'. |
Please note - these photo's are of the car AS the police and emergency crew FOUND it. This is what it looked like. No 'jaws of life' were used. |
This page is dedicated to the memory of Ken and Travis. |
This page is ALSO dedicated to the LIFE of Beau and Adrian. Anyone of us could just as easily be in Beau's shoes. That's a reality that many of us would prefer NOT to think about. |
My heart goes out to ALL 4 guys - and to their families and friends. |
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