A NEEDLESS LOSS
23 year old Korin Howes of Belleville was heading westbound in the eastbound lanes of the 401 near Trenton when her vehicle collided with another car driven by 23 year old Shaina Harrison of Oshawa. Both women were killed instantly. Korin Howes was at a Belleville bar for 16 hours before the crash.
IT’S LIKE ALL THE BRIGHTNESS TURNS TO BLACK AND WHITE.
DEALING WITH LOSS
This video explores how people deal with loss, especially sudden loss. Peterborough therapist Karen Basciano talks about loss. Carolyn Swinson shares her feelings explaining how she felt after her son Rob was killed by a drunk driver. Another woman shares her thoughts on loss at the beginning of the video.
YOUR LIFE CHANGED ON A CERTAIN DATE…AND IT WON’T EVER BE THE SAME.
CAROLYN SWINSON’S STORY
Carolyn Swinson lost her son Rob to impaired driving on February 12, 1993. He was 27 years old. Rob went out one night to get his girlfriend a valentines day gift. On his way home his car was hit by a vehicle driving by a 30 year old woman who had only had her license for 10 days and was intoxicated. Rob was killed instantly. The woman in the other vehicle walked away with a cut on her ear. This wasn’t the first time the Swinson family lost someone to impaired driving…almost 12 years earlier to the day, Carolyn’s father was hit and killed by a drunk driver.
After losing her son, Carolyn was introduced to MADD Canada at the funeral service. Here she heard of the organization’s victim services as well as the many other programs offered by MADD. It was then that she became involved with the organization acting as chair of the Toronto Chapter for a number of years. From 1997-1999 she was President of the Toronto Chapter of MADD.
In 2001 she received a Volunteer Award from the City of Toronto and the Ministry of Transport’s Road Safety Achievement Award.
Swinson works with other victims, helping them with anything from legal issues to grief counseling. She also works on the educational side of the MADD program working with those who have been charged with impaired driving.
Although Swinson has made a difference in many lives impacted by impaired driving, she admits her life will never be the same.
“I think I’ve spent five years in a really bad place… a very tough place to be and I ended up for a while having to be on medication because of that”. Swinson says dealing with the loss of her father, and then son put her in a depressed state for nearly five years, needing medication to get through it all. She happily admits she is off the medication, but with a smile on her face and tears gathering in her eyes she says, “I think that in dealing with it…the fact that I go out and speak about him to so many groups and tell people my story it helps…it helps. But the pain of losing him I know will never go away”.
I DRINK AND DRIVE… ALL THE TIME
CORI’S STORY
Cori admits to drinking and driving on a regular basis. He has been in a snowmobile accident while intoxicated and still drinks and drives. His sled was totaled. Luckily he survived. His excuse for drinking and driving- the cost of a cab. Note: Only Cori’s first name will be used to protect his identity.
Cori continues to drink and drive. After this video was recorded he went drinking and driving with a friend. Cori was not driving, but the truck struck a hydro pole. The truck was totaled. He is still alive.
FOR EVERY ONE PERSON AN OFFICER LAYS WITH AN IMPAIRED DRIVING CHARGE…3 HAVE BEEN LET GO
WHAT ARE THE CHANCES OF GETTING CAUGHT?…SOME INTERESTING STATS
Constable Peter Sejrub, Peterborough & Lakefield Community Police talks about drinking and driving and reveals some interesting statistics.
EVEN IF YOU’RE NOT DRIVING… IF YOU’RE DRINKING INJURIES CAN HAPPEN
SOMEONE CALL THE DOCTOR
Dr. John Schultz is a general practitioner in St. Catherine’s Ontario. He has worked in a head injury clinic. Also, he worked as a Coroner for the Niagara Region for three years. He shares his experience.
DON’T THINK THEY’RE DRINKING MILK.
A SNOWMOBILER’S TALE
A snowmobiler from Buckhorn shares his experience on the trail.