YOURS recently made contact with Shannon Gwynne, an inspiring young lady who tells the story of her harrowing experience at the hands of a drunk driver. What is more alarming is that the drunk driver was her mother and she was a young passenger of the event. Read Shannon’s story at YOURS.
Shannon with her mother years after the road crash.
The following story is written by Shannon Gwynne, who is now 22 years old and tells of her ordeal at the hands of a drink driver. Her story is inspiring and with a clear message.
When I was 7 years old, all I wanted to do was play with my barbies and enjoy my childhood. I never thought that I would be involved in an accident. As a kid with a happy family, I thought I was invincible, like the next super-woman. But that all changed when I was involved in a drinking and driving accident.
My name is Shannon Gwynne and I’m 22 years old. I survived a horrible accident, without permenant damage and I’m here to tell my story.
I grew up with a normal childhood. However, there was one accident that changed my life forever, and it was caused by the woman that loved me most. My mother.
At the time, my family and I were living in Guelph, Ontario. My mother, being a fairly religious person, took us to church in Campbellville, about 30 minutes away. At the time my father, who is a pilot, was working so it was just me, my mother and my 5 year old brother at the time.
Everything seemed to be alright while my mom was driving our mini van down highway 6 towards Hamilton. But even though I was only a child, I noticed something different about my mom. Her speech was slurred, and she was mumbling gibberish. I was in the seat behind her and my brother was in the last set of seats. While driving, she was leaning down between the driver and passenger seat. It looked like she was grabbing something, but I wasn’t sure.
I said to her “mommy, I love you”. And then it happened. She lifted her head up and said, love you too sweetie. I looked up at the road and saw that our van was swerved into the other lane, and coming our way was an 18-wheeler transport truck. We collided head on with the truck and i remember the impact. All I heard was a big crash and then everything went black.
I don’t know how long I was out for, but I knew it wasn’t my time to go. I opened my eyes and first thing I saw was my mom unconcious, her head hanging out the window ( she lived). Next thing I noticed was I couldn’t see my brother. . Emergency crews, police and firefighters were on scene.
Next thing I remember was one of the firefighters holding a stuffed Dalmatian dog up to me and saying ” Come on Shannon, stay with us, talk to me, come on.” I mumbled ” where’s Elliott, where’s my brother?”. He had flew out the window and was on the side of the road. Fortunately, he only suffered a few scratches and bruises.
Shannon and Elliot years after the crash.
After that, I don’t really remember much. I was taken to Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto, where I was there for 6 days under tight watch. Doctors said it was a miracle I survived, after having the seatbelt cut into my stomach. They said that if I had been sitting in the front seat, there was no chance of survival.
For hours, my dad had no idea if I was alive or dead. He came and stayed with me at the hospital for my entire stay, dressed in his pilot uniform.
I was bed-ridden for a week, with my entire torso as black as this font. I couldn’t walk to the bathroom, so I had to use a bedpan and wheel chair to move around.
15 years later, and I still remember the impact, and how it felt to be holding on to my life.
After the accident, my parent’s marriage fell apart. My parents seperated, and my dad never forgave my mom. For the next while, my mom was getting help from the Homewood Rehab Center and went to AA meetings. But that didn’t stop it.
Alcohol took over my mothers life. While my brother,dad and I thought she was doing well, the past 10 years had been somewhat of a lie. She was secretly drinking still, and I had no idea.
On August 4, 2009, she passed away from unknown causes. She was on numerous medications at the time including antidepressants, anxiety pills and many others. There was also liqour and wine bottles found hidden in her room.
I never got to say goodbye to my mom. I never got to help her. Alcohol destroyed her life, and almost ended mine because of her actions.
I do not wish this to happen to anyone. It was the worst experience I’ve ever had to go to, beginning to end. But God kept me here for a reason. He kept me here for my dad and brother. He kept me here to make my mother proud in my journalism career.
Shannon’s ordeal has made her appreciate her life and commit to road safety.
A word of advice for everyone.
Don’t ever get in the car with someone who’s been drinking. Pass the message along to anyone who isn’t aware about the damages it causes. Drinking and driving does not make you cool. There is always a safer route available, never ever drink and drive.
I’m a survivor. Let’s not put anyone else what my family and I had to go through.
What this story tells us
YOURS commends the bravery of Shannon to make a stand against this tragic experience and urge others never to drink and drive. While many believe that they know their own limits with regards to drinking, it is never advisable to drink and drive under any circumstances. The outcome of these events could have been tragic and then we would never have heard this story. Sometimes, people do not realize the risk they put their passengers and themselves under, passengers who are often the most important people to us.
Know the facts about drink driving. While laws differ in countries with regards to drinking and driving, be aware that as young people committed to road safety, we should never endorse or partake in any kind of impaired driving including drink, drugs, medication etc.
Take the pledge to commit to road safety and join Shannon in raising awareness of her cause to put a full stop to drink driving.