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txminipinto

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This week has been a hard one here at work. In a very short time span, we've lost a student to a head on collision (she wasn't at fault) and a coworker lost her daughter to a single car, 3 person fatality. I want one thing from this post. I want every kid and 20 something to read it, take it to heart, and imagine the pain their parents would be going through if it happened to them.

A coworker, someone who sits just around the corner from me, lost her daughter last weekend to a STUPID childhood prank. Her daughter was 15 yrs old and by most accounts old enough to stay at home with some minimal supervision. T was going on vacation with her husband and wanted her daughter to go, but the daughter didn't want to. So, they struck a deal. She could stay home, but her dad (ex-husband) would be checking up on her. Thinking back to my own 15 yr old mind, I was a smart kid and responsible, but still inexperienced and not good at making mature decisions. This girl was smart, 6th in her class, a good kid, and had a future in front of her. She also had a boyfriend with an older brother who had made some wrong decisions in his life.

They were just looking for a good time. Doing things that I did when I was young and dumb. Lord knows that I realize how lucky I was. You see, surviving childhood just comes down to luck sometimes. We all do stupid stuff that we look back on and get a cold sweat when we realize how lucky we were. There was a party and there was alcohol. Kids, alcohol is dangerous. It takes someone who really isn't mature enough to make good decisions to begin with and completely impairs their ability to make any kind of decision. Adults kills themselves all the time behind the wheel; don't kid yourself into thinking that you are better at handling a vehicle drunk than any adult. You're not; adults aren't either.

They went for a joy ride at a high rate of speed. They lost control of the car, slammed into a tree, killing all 3 of them instantly. And thank god they died instantly, because then the car burst into flames. The accident/fire was so bad that they have had to use DNA and dental records to identify all 3 kids. Not a single parent has been able to view their child's body, kiss them one last time on the forehead, nothing. All they get to see is a closed casket and the knowledge that their kid died a horrible, preventable death.

This isn't about parents' raising their kids right. These were good homes. It's about kids making good decisions. To stay away from alcohol and drugs. To not get in a car with someone who is drunk. To think beyond what is happening now, but what could happen. I'm sure T's daughter didn't think her mother would be cutting her vacation short to come home bury her daughter. You are not invincible. You can get hurt and you can kill yourself or others. It's not you who ends up paying for your death with your life; it's your family and friends who pay for your death with their lives. There are so many people here that won't be the same ever again because a group of kids made a bad decision.

So, tomorrow, I'm going to funeral for a 15 yr old girl who had the world at her feet and lost it all over one bad decision.
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A good rule of thumb: if the parents are gone, it's not a safe place to be no matter how old you are.
 
You just made up my mind for me. I lost my second cousin (15) last year in a car accident. I'm not going to lose my 17 year old daughter too. Thank you for this wake up call!
 
wow i dont really know what to say, im 17 and yes i do drink and party with friends, i do know even when im drinking not to get into a car with someone who was drinking, i lost my boyfriend to drinking and driving(he was not at fault) even last nite i was drinking with 5 of my friends and my friend bf wanted to go into town for something something, anyway i took his keys and put them in my shirt so he couldnt get them and even tho i was drunk i knew where they were! i have stoped many of my friends from doing that stupid stupid thing but sadly i havent stoped my parents from it yet and im afraid one day will be the last time! thank you for posting this! losing someone you love to drinking and driving is really hard, and i wouldnt wish it on anyone!
 
Carin, that is horrible ..those poor parents
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. Sounds like a big black cloud is over Texas ...

I am 20 years old, i like to think of myself as a good level headed person ...i do not drink, do drugs ..im not one to "party" hard and i feel sorry for anyone who has to loose a son, daughter, father, mother or sibling to one very stupid dicision on their part.
 
It is good that you posted this.

I am sorry for those parents...it just hurts me inside to know that those young people made a mistake and paid the highest price for it.

I am 18 years old, and will be 19 in Nov. I have never touched alcohol, and I really have no desire too. I cannot imagine losing control of myself like that. I need to be in control of myself. Plus, I have a lot of dreams that I wish to accomplish, one of which is being a vet. I have wanted to be a vet since I was five, and I have no intentions to screw myself over, for lack of a better word.

I don't do drugs, or anything remotely illegal. The worst thing I have ever done is talk back to my parents are use the phone/computer when I am grounded from it. Not even kidding. And I don't even do that anymore.

I hope my morals/principles stay that way as I get older.

You are right, it is not about the way parents raise their kids, or what homes they come from. It is about making good decisions. Everyone makes mistakes...

A girl I go to school with got in a terrible accident that put her in a coma with a bad head injury. She was drinking and driving. She was 16. She is lucky, she will recover.

I hope others learn from what happened. Thank you again for posting.
 
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Carin, Thanks for having the courage to post the story. Maybe some one on here will read it and it will make a difference! I have always worried about our two boys. They have been good kids and nearly all thier freinds are really good kids but as you stated even good kids can make a bad decision. Unfortunatly some times it only takes one bad choice.

Mark
 
My husband says he's locking our kids in their room until they are 40. LOL. I used to be stupid a s a kid, but not like my brother. I worry every day about him and he's 26. He's come very close to loosing control and killing himself. He usually tries to stay home when he drinks or stay where the party is. I'm so sorry for their loss.

Christy
 
I hope this is a wake up call to our youth. And as much as parents should trust their children.........I now understand why I always had to answer Who, What, Where, and Why, plus calling in to check in. If you are under the legal drinking age and you are drinking, I beg you to stop. It's always "oh that won't happen to me", and I'm sure Alex thought the same thing. It can happen to you. Please imagine what would happen to your parents if you died over something has stupid as a good time with alcohol. You can have a good time without it and live to tell about it.
 
I can't even imagine. I feel sorry for the family having to go through this. Alcohol is not something to mess with at any age. Wise decisions should be made. Lots of innocent people have lost thier lives to alchol (whether they were drinking or just in the wrong place at the wrong time).
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Wish we could send this story out to lots of people!!!
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This is so tragic. Makes my heart so sad. The bad part about it is that when you are that young you think you are infallible. Nothing like that will ever happen to you. I have preached and preached to my children, but for some reason once in awhile they do silly things. I just do a whole lot of praying.
 
I think I am one of the younger adults on here but it wasn't very long ago that I made those stupid mistakes. My mother was a alcoholic so sadly alcohol was always around. I can't believe that I ever drank. I never made the mistake of drinking and driving but I did make other poor choices. Some that I was lucky I never got raped or anything while I was high school. My dad was always gone so I literally never had someone to tell me to stop. I had common sense just never listened to it all the time. I finally went out and told my JROTC who til this day is probably the most inspirational person in my life. He made me straighten up thats for sure. If it wasnt for him I think I would have dropped out. But I never did. I stopped drinking and continued showing my horses and graduated number 33 in my HS class of 333 students. I sure wish he was around after I graduated because maybe then I would have made more good decisions. By all means I do love my husband despite our differences and I wouldnt trade Lexi for the world but there are times when I do wish I was at liberty to do whatever I want.. But thats all apart of life. I know I want to be there for my daughter and her for me so I plan to take care of her and explain to her how important good choices are. I am just thankful I never got into drugs.. Who knows what it would have been like for me? I saw what my sister went through and I would not to deal with that either.
 
Prestige,

I'm glad you had someone to help you through your childhood! The funeral Friday was very sad and what I found the most disheartening was the youth in attendance. It was like she had just simply moved away. They were respectful to a point, but I could tell that the reality of what had occured had not set in. Its a shame that they still won't learn from this. Unfortunately, this has been a big news story in our area and the teen interviews have been horrible. I at least hope they watch their TV interviews and see themselves in a new light. Sometimes, seeing yourself through someone else's eyes is the only way to change.
 

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