By Colleen Sheehey-Church
National President
Mothers Against Drunk Driving®
Not everyone dies in a drunk driving crash.
Tabitha Clark of Missouri is someone who didn’t die. However, she was severely injured and is now confined to a wheel chair, unable to walk or talk.
I was with Tabitha while at Missouri’s State Capitol in Jefferson City for an event called “Light it up for Life.”
The goal of the MADD staff and volunteers was to convince the legislators to continue funding Sobriety Checkpoints, a critical component in MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving.
For me though, seeing Tabitha and her mother, Yvonne, had the most impact.
I had met them a month earlier at a fundraising event in Springfield. Now 20 years old, Tabitha is strong and unwavering in her fight to live life to the fullest.
The Crash
It was two years ago when everything changed for her. Going home after a night of bowling, Tabitha was a passenger in a car. A drunk driver ran a red light and ripped through the car in which Tabitha was riding.
As with every drunk driving crash, this one was 100% preventable.
When you look into Tabitha’s eyes, you know exactly why we work so hard to eliminate drunk driving.
You understand why Sobriety Checkpoints and Ignition Interlock Devices and stronger laws and the support of our law enforcement officers is so important.
We need your support in all of those efforts so that one day there will be NO MORE VICTIMS®.
