Young people will soon don a tuxedo or dress and cap and gown. I only wore a cap and gown as I graduated in a wheelchair.
In 1992, when I was 16 and a junior at Tracy High, I was hit head-on by a drunk driver. The crash put me in a coma with brain injuries, paralysis and several broken and dislocated bones. I was a patient for seven months in two hospitals, followed by 17 months of therapy.
I played sports against other San Joaquin county schools, but those challenging months prevented me from school, sports and prom.
Teenage festivities are coming, and I was in their shoes once.
Car crashes caused by alcohol change lives forever. I struggle daily with hearing, talking and walking, and I cannot drive.
I planned to attend a California college, but I could not study at UCLA because of my disabilities.
Drinking and driving is unwise at any age. If drinking is happening, do not drive. Designate a sober driver before drinking begins. Listen to a victim.
Lori Martin