Death is inevitable, but when drinking and driving, you’re just increasing your chances of being killed or seriously injured.
As a mortician, I can personally say that every year I see more and more young lives ended by traffic accidents.
This topic in particular is very real to me, because I had a cousin, Marcos J. Toriz, who died in 1990 because of drinking and driving.
A day of drinking and hanging out with friends was ended by a traffic accident that instantaneously killed everyone riding in that vehicle. Marcos was only 18.
I was 8 then, but I can still vividly remember being at my aunt’s house and getting a knock at the door by a policeman holding his hat. I couldn’t understand why he was there, but I remember that it wasn’t good.
The policeman was looking to speak with my aunt and uncle, but they were at work.
Therefore, my cousin MaryAnn had to receive the bad news: Marcos was dead.
From that point on, all I witnessed was chaos, anger, pain and a great deal of suffering. MaryAnn went haywire and was uncontrollably hysterical. We all couldn’t believe it. Just like that, a close family member was dead.
Driving drunk not only impacts the lives of those lost, but it also impacts the victim’s family.
From witnessing funerals and from personally witnessing what my family went through, losing a young life to drinking and driving is an experience that I wish upon no one.
So, what can possibly be done to avoid such tragedies?
Well, reality is, some minors are always going to drink no matter what. But it shouldn’t be taken for granted.
Drinking isn’t bad but it must be done moderately and responsibly.
However, if you know you’re going to drink, don’t be stupid; be responsible and find someone to drive you to where you want to go and then back home.
Life is too short to make one stupid mistake that can end your life.