Lori Martin: A drunk driver changed her life forever
Young people will soon don a tuxedo or dress, and/or cap and gown. I only wore a cap and gown, because I graduated in a wheelchair.
When I was 16, and a junior at Tracy High in 1992, I was hit head-on by a drunken 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 therapy for 17 months. Those challenging months prevented me from attending school, playing sports or going to the prom.
Teenage festivities are coming again, and I was in their shoes once. Car crashes caused by alcohol change lives forever. I struggle daily with hearing, talking, walking and I cannot drive.
I planned to attend college. With my disabilities, I could not join my friends and study at Modesto Junior College. Drinking and driving is unwise at any age. If drinking happens, do not drive. Designate a sober driver before drinking begins. Listen to a victim.
Lori Martin, Tracy
This story was originally published March 4, 2016 at 6:18 PM with the headline "Lori Martin: A drunk driver changed her life forever."