Introduction
A mother’s love has been proven throughout history and has been immortalized by sayings like “Nothing beats a mother’s love” and “No matter what a child does, a mother will always be a mother.” My mother is the epitome of these sayings and as I live and breathe, I will continue to attest to this. You see, I have not only felt my mother’s love but also seen it in action. I can remember everything that happened just this past June — June 18, 2003, to be exact, as if everything only happened a few hours ago.
That year, I was a carefree 11-year-old who had all the time in the world to enjoy the life ahead of me. Little did I know that everything in my life would change that night. The night that my 15-year-old brother was killed by a drowsy school bus driver as he stood outside my parent’s outdoor equipment business. That night, I came home from school to receive the bad news. News that changed my life literally from that very morning.
I had 15 special years with my brother and being in the 5th grade, he was my role model in everything that I did. He was my protector and guardian angel who was always there when I needed him. But now, I am 17 and 2 years older than him. I often find myself wondering as to how my night has turned out and what our relationship might be like at this point in our lives. Would we still be best friends and have each other’s backs? 6 years later my family and I have changed a lot and are still on the road towards a long and lonely grieving process.
Consequences of the accident
We were devastated by the accident. Our sense of security was crushed and we could barely function as individuals and as a family for the next couple of years after the accident. We each dealt with death in different ways. My father had to go back to work 2 weeks after my brother’s untimely demise. He had to go back to the place where my brother died to pay the bills. While my mother threw herself into investigative work trying to figure out how a drowsy bus driver from our school would have been allowing to drive a bus in his condition. She needed to understand why and how the accident happened to have some sort of closure. She refused to let my brother’s death be in vain. Something good had to come out of it and that she would make sure of that.
Everybody tried to dissuade my mother from finding out the truth. Everyone but me. You see, I know my mother, I knew she would not stop until she got some answers. Her investigation was not for naught. It may have taken her 4 years but, she discovered that the driver suffered from sleep apnea and would often sleep in the bus garage, was taking 5 different medications, had uncontrolled diabetes, and most importantly, was not certified to drive a bus due to his existing physical conditions.
Armed with this knowledge, she ran for the school board and won. Under her guidance, she revamped the entire transportation of our school district and started a chapter of the non – profit organization Victims of Irresponsible Drowsy Drivers (VOIDD). She has traveled extensively throughout New York to educate the public about the dangers of drowsy driving and what countermeasures can be implemented. Watching my mother’s determination and strength that pulled her through the most devastating experience of our lives was an experience for me. Although she had taught me never to give up on my passions and beliefs, I only took it to heart when I saw her practice what she preached.
My family crisis taught me how to be selfless and be there for others who need help and support. through my mother’s actions, I have learned that she will always be my mother no matter what mistakes I make and what changes happen in the family. She will forever be, the strongest lady I know.
I have come to learn that lives can change at the drop of a hat. Life has no guarantees and needs to be flexible. I learned how to accept things that I could not change, no matter how hard and painful it might be because of my brother’s death. His death taught me how to live and my family was eventually reborn after all the events that took place. We learned to laugh and be a family again even without my brother’s presence.
Conclusion
All my experiences in life have changed me as a person. I may only be in high school but I have been a long-term member of Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) and a soccer player for 12 years. I also take part in 4-H Community Service projects in honor of my brother’s memory and to show my mother that I too can be as strong as she is and that I respect everything she has accomplished in life with or without the support of her friends and family.