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One Year

September 19, 2009.  It is a date I will never forget, and not for good reason.  It has been one year since Kristi was killed by a drunk driver.  I still have many mixed emotions about the events over the past year.  I still have many friends who drink and drive - who think they are okay to drive after they drink.  I think there are even people who were close to Kristi who do this, and I do not get it.  The fact that you do it on a regular basis and have never had a problem doesn't make it okay. 

It has been an interesting year  - the high point of it was probably Ironman Florida, the culmination of a six week fundraising push which resulted in raising over $15,000 for MADD.  Another high point was the Gusher in Beaumont - Kelly, her mom, my mom and I did the half marathon and Mike did the 5k.  Little did I know his whole family was going to be there sporting the Team Woodhead/RADD t-shirts.  That was pretty cool.  The low points have been the phone calls from Mike - I feel like I never have anything useful to say and am so angry and confused as to why he and his family are even having to go through this.  Why?  It isn't fair.  As Mom has reminded me since I was little, "Life isn't fair", but that doesn't really make any of it seem any better.  I see what Kristi's family is going through, sheer hell, all because one person made one really, really bad decision.  One of the most prominent memories over the last year was Mike's presentation of the victim's impact statement at the sentencing of the driver last spring.  I was so proud of him, yet again torn - angry, confused, broken-hearted for my friend and his family.  Broken hearted that his other sister could not even bring herself to come to court that day.  Broken hearted that Mike is having to hold it together and that he has to be okay whether he really is or not so he can try to help his dad and sister.

I'm glad that our Race Against Drunk Driving campaign did so well.  I'm glad today served as a reminder to some of my friends - old and new - to think before drinking and driving.  But I'm mad it ever even had to be this way.  God is so good, and we know this, but it is beyond frustrating to not be able to know it all, to know why did it have to be this way? how is she doing now? will her friends and family ever heal?  I know comfort can and has been found though in the fact that Kristi is with her mom now.  How fabulous to know that Mrs. McCarthy is no longer alone in heaven.

I'm not entirely sure what the point of my post is tonight - it seems more like rambling than anything else.  But I guess hopefully it can at least serve as a reminder to at least one more person to buckle up and to think before drinking and driving.  Hopefully it can also draw a prayer or 10 for Kristi's family and friends - they still need it.  They still miss her and still have a hole in their heart where she is supposed to be.
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