POTEET, Texas - Donna McCain smiles while sharing pictures of ther daughter, Meagan who loved horses and competing in rodeo events before she was died in a drunk driving accident. She says recent news reports about drunken drivers is like re-opening a wound causing more pain.
In August 2009, McCain says her 19 year old daughter was in her pickup truck with three friends when a drunken driver slammed into their vehicle in a head-on collision.
According to the still grieving mother, a witness saw a female driver heading down the wrong side of the road and dialed 9-1-1. Within four minutes, McCain says officers arrived but it was too late to save Meagan's life. The teens three friends survived the wreck which also killed the driver who hit them.
McCain was injured in a horseback riding incident but doesn't let her wheelchair stop her from speaking at many events.
She brings pictures showing different stages of Meagan's life--short by someone's bad decision to drink and drive.
A few months after her daughter's death, McCain says she strongly urged Mothers Against Drunk Driving to give her a chance to share this story.
She says people told her it was too soon after the accident--but McCain was pushy and became a strong advocate for MADD.
McCain shares her story, as a member of the Bexar County Victims' Impact Panel.
She says many drunken driving offenders have been charged several times.
McCain isn't sure how many listen to the message about how drunk driving wrecks the lives of many people--not just the victim of an accident.
The families or loved ones suffer and like McCain it's tough to move beyond such a tragic loss.
The mother and advocate hopes at least one person listens and doesn't make the same mistake of getting behind the wheel after drinking too much.
