A Victim's Story

                      For Anyone Who Still Drinks And Drives

Heather was 20 years old when her life was suddenly snatched. She was 4 weeks shy of her 21st birthday, and ready to graduate from College. On December 8, 1993 I drove to Sarnia to bring Heather home from College for the Christmas holidays.  Upon arriving home I had her drive me to work. That same evening, around 11 P.M., Heather called me at work with an offer to pick up me and a co-worker at the end of our shift. Shortly, she arrived to drive us home.

We never made it. An irresponsible, impaired driver sped recklessly through several stop signs, crashing broadside into our vehicle. Heather was killed. So was my co-worker. I was critically injured - left teetering on the edge of death.  I'll never know why I was the lone survivor.

We were rushed to the Goderich Hospital, I am told. My family bore the heaviest burden, the sudden tragic death of a daughter and sister... shock, anger, numbness, disbelief, frustration, devastation and fear of the unknown for my outcome. I was flow to a trauma unit in Toronto, where I remained unconscious for several days. My husband and family visited, apparently sharing funeral plans for Heather while I laid in my delirium. At the end of 2 weeks I was returned to Goderich Hospital. This was a very uneventful Christmas holiday, and I was still denying the fact that Heather was gone - forever.  I suffered many complications from my injuries, but I slowly began to realize the tragedy that had happened. Sleepless nights, much crying and anger, now accompanied my physical pain. Finally I mustered the courage to watch a video of Heather's funeral.  It was real. She was gone. Our other children had now returned to school, but our son was often found in the hallways. He could not concentrate on schoolwork and soon ran into trouble with school officials.  He finally quit school for a year, and went to work. Fortunately, our daughter was able to continue successfully and attended the same college and program as her older sister.

For a year and a half I had to be driven three times a week to physiotherapy, I had to learn to walk again. I still exercise and swim 5 days a week. Learning to drive again was also a major task. Because of injuries I sustained I have been unable to return to work.

The death of our daughter has been a terrible nightmare. All aspects of what she might have been are gone -- forever. Memories and pictures are all we have left.

The man who caused these deaths and suffering shows no sign of remorse. He was sentenced to six years in prison with the permanent loss of his driver's licence. At an inmate appeal hearing, his sentence was reduced to less than 4 years. He will be able to apply for his driver's licence in 12 years. The judge said that his sentence was too harsh. For Heather and my co-worker, the sentence was death!  Does this seem fair?  Where is their appeal hearing?

Linda MacDonald
Member, MADD Huron/Bruce Chapter