Shattered Lives is a program designed to stress the consequences of poor decision making by having students create their own scenario regarding their death. The design of the program heavily involves parents. The program is designed to impress upon teenagers that death is very real for persons their age and that they are NOT immortal, stressing the danger of drinking and driving.
Today Jessica participated in this program at Magnolia High School. Though she was not in the staged accident scene this morning, she was still scheduled to die sometime during the day today as a result of a drunk driving accident. We were present this morning at the high school to watch the staged accident complete with Life Flight, Fire Dept., area law enforecement, EMS, etc. There were 11 fatalities, 4 kids arrested for DWI and several critically injured students. It was incredibly real. I have to admit that I was relieved that Jess was not a part of the accident scene. It required that parents idenitify their "dead" children's bodies. Because statistics tell us that someone dies every 15 minutes as a result of a drunk driver, all day long a student participating in the program "died" every 15 minutes. Jessica was selected to be one of those. When it was her time to die, she was removed from the classroom and her Obituary (which I had to write a couple of weeks ago) was read to the class.
Though we knew that we would receive a phone call from the Constable's office sometime today, we were not prepared for it. I was surprised at the emotions we felt after we got the call. All afternoon I struggled with a heavy sadness.
To make the the death seem even more real the students who participated in the program were taken away to an unknown location where they continued with exercises to complete the day. They are not allowed to have any contact with their parents and we are not allowed to know where they are. Tomorrow morning there will be an assembly where they will show the video of the accident scene and read eulogies for some of the "living dead". Tonight we had to write a eulogy that may be read at the Assembly tomorrow morning. I have included what I wrote. I am still amazed at the depth of emotions that both of us have felt tonight.
After tomorrow morning you can view the video from Magnolia High school at shatteredlives-montgomerycounty.com

To our daughter,
Today I came home and you were not there – your car was in the driveway and I was reminded that you are gone.
I came into the kitchen and there was your glass of orange juice from breakfast and I missed you terribly all over again.
I walk through the house and I see your things and am reminded of how sweet it was to be your mother.
This morning you were here – alive, laughing and eager for the new season of your life that was soon to begin. We talked about your weekend plans and the need to clean your room. But tonight, you are gone and a dirty room is so trivial. I can’t comprehend that you will never walk through the door again – that I will never again kiss you good night or respond to your “I love you” with “I love you more!”
I am thinking tonight of what you contributed to this world in your short 18 years. You became a crusader for the underdog – for those who could not stand up for themselves, you wanted to be their voice.
You grew to love children and looked forward to making career plans to help children who needed help the most.
You were an incredible aunt and sister and all of those little ones that love you so much will now never really know how much you loved them and what you wanted to be in their lives.
You were strong in your faith and loved the Lord with all your heart, mind, soul and strength.
You were chosen, you are loved, and you will live forever with the Lord and in all of our hearts.