Empower Network

For some of us that’s an easy question to answer. Like many of us, I tend to take my day to day existence for granted. I know that I will get up at 5:30 in the morning, fix my husband breakfast and send him off to work. From there, I have the choice of doing WHATEVER I want. Maybe I’ll do house work. Maybe I’ll blog a bit. Perhaps I’ll meet with a friend for coffee and a little girl talk. If it’s a Tuesday, I’ll head to my Bible study. I have plenty of freedom to do as I choose and when I choose.

Yesterday, I went to visit Adam. He’s a bike riding buddy of my husband’s. Adam is a 50 year old husband and father who 8 months ago had many of his choices taken from him. On a Sunday morning at 7:15am, Adam was riding his bike with 7 other friends on a wide residential street. In the blink of an eye Adam’s world dramatically changed when he was hit head on by a 19 year old drunk driver (at 7:15 in the morning her BAC was 0.15 – nearly twice the legal limit). Now Adam’s choices are made for him on a daily basis. He has no control over when he gets out of bed, when he dresses, what he eats or what he will do for the day. As a byproduct of the accident, Adam has no hearing, no speech, impaired vision, limited control of one hand and is confined to a wheelchair. While Adam is making progress in his recovery, there is no certainty to the extent of his recovery will be.

On the other hand, the drunk driver who took away Adam’s choices is currently serving a year sentence in the county jail, though currently jail conditions suggest that because of overcrowding she will only serve 6 months. She will also have her driver’s license suspended for just one year. This despite at least four moving violations in the last three years, as well as allegedly totaling her car in a previous collision. In addition, she’ll face three years’ probation after her release, including a requirement that she wear the SCRAM alcohol monitor.

When she is released from jail, this young woman will again have the ability to make choices regarding her life. As far as the choices Adam and is family will have to make in the future, we just don’t know. We can only continue to pray that Adam will keep on progressing and getting better.

In light of the upcoming New Year’s celebration, I ask you to make the following choice: Don’t drink and drive-and don’t ride with anybody who does. Tipsy Tow is offered by AAA: You don’t have to be a AAA member, from 6pm-6am on New Year’s Eve/Day they will take your drunk self and your car home for FREE. Save this number… 1-800-222-4357. This is the number and program for California, Texas, New Mexico, Hawaii and Alabama. It is not applicable nationwide, so check with your local auto club to see what programs are available if you are not in those states. Of course, I would hope that we would all make the choice not to drink and drive…..and remember that’s exactly what it is…..a CHOICE. Choose wisely!