HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY TO THE

BEST MOM EVER

I want to share why I love my mom so much

With all of you

My mom is beautiful, kind, creative, generous, intelligent, loving, strong, supportive and fun. She is also a survivor and I wouldn’t be here if God didn’t save her.

I love my mom because she gave up so much to help me be the best I could be.

I am so blessed to have her. When my mom was 17 she was invited to a

friend’s party.

My grandma didn’t want her to go. The party was in a town called Verdun, across the Mercer bridge. My mom begged my Oma to pleeeeeeease let her go.

That day, on November 13, 1976, the Chateauguay buses were on

strike.

My mom told her friend she would find a way to get to the party but that she would need a ride back home or she couldn’t go.

Her best friend Karen really wanted my mom to go to the party.

She said her boyfriend’s car was already pretty full but that he would try to squeeze my mom, her boyfriend and his friend in.

At 12:30 A.M. my mom and six of her friends left the party. My mom asked her friend if he was ok to drive. He said “Yes.”

They crossed the icy waters of the Mercer bridge. My mom praying he

would slow down.

They made it over the bridge and down the exit ramp - picking up speed

No one was wearing a seat belt

INSERT LAMP POST

The car knocked down this lamp post at 85 mph.

It went into the opposite lane and another car hit them.

At 3:00 A.M. in the morning the door bell rang at

grandma’s house. It was a police officer, he told my

grandparents that my mom had been in a terrible

accident.

This is the man who hit their car.

It wasn’t his fault, the car came out of nowhere.

This is what his car looked like

He had a head injury but was able to walk away from the accident.

This is the car my mom and her friends were in.

God and the jaws of life saved my mom.

She was sitting on this side of car, right behind the driver.

Her best friend Karen and three of her friends didn’t make it.

The police said the driver was impaired

Doctors told my grandparents that they weren’t sure my mom was going to make it. She was hooked up to so many tubes. My mom:

Suffered severe head traumaHad a broken pelvisA broken left femurA broken left ankleA broken right femurA broken right ankleBroken knuckles in her left handAnd her front teeth were smashed in

After four days in intensive care, doctors said she was going to live.

They said her recovery would be long and that she might never walk again.

Both of my mom’s legs were in traction with long screws drilled through her knees with weighted bags attached to the end. She had to stay in her hospital bed for three and a half months.

A steel rod was put into my mom’s right leg for support – with the hope that she would one day be able to stand on it.

At Christmas she was ready to begin physiotherapy on her right leg.

In February 1977, my mom was finally able to get out of that bed. Doctors told her told she might never walk again. My mom said “Watch me!”

The worst pain of all, was losing all her friends

I am MADD that my mom’s friend told her he could drive. Would you believe a friend?

I am MADD that she lost four of her friends that night.

I am MADD that my mom suffered so much.

I am MADD that after 36 years, it still happens every day.

But I am so glad my mom is here, so I can hug her, love her and wish her HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!

Please share this with your mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers and friends to remind them not to drink and drive. I hope that you will walk 5k with me and join my:

“ BIG HUGS” TEAM

On Sunday, June 9, 2013 at 8:30 A.M.At JC Saddington Park in Port Credit Ontario.

In support of MADD Strides for Changewith the Running Room