Sorry I’ve been off site for, well, too long. Taking care of business.
I recently spoke with dear friends of mine, Kari and Kelley. Their kids were students of mine in high school and graduated a few years ago. It brought to mind of this time of year…proms, parties, graduation…you know, rights of passage. Pasture parties have been around forever. Young people wanting to grow up too fast and making choices they’re not ready or equipped to make, with permanent consequences. Don’t get me wrong, not all kids that go to these parties are there to drink. They love just hanging with their buds, listening to ear-splitting music, smooching with their sweeties, making memories.
Making memories! We all want to do that, and live long enough to look back at “the good old days” and the “remember whens”. Unfortunately, too many people, and it’s not exclusively a “young person” issue, make the wrong choice, drink too much alcohol, smoke that illegal cigarette or otherwise, take something that impairs their ability to be in control of their actions.
One of my friends, Kari, her husband Kevin, son Kody, and of course her entire family and friends, found out the hard way how to deal with the aftermath of a drunk driver. Their beautiful daughter, Meagan…May May…a student at Texas Tech university, was a passenger in a car, on their way home, on December 6, 2012, when struck in the rear by a drunk driver, traveling 110 miles an hour. Though seat belted in, the impact struck with such force that Meagan was ejected from the car. Miraculously, May May’s roommate survived with minor injuries, physically. Both girls were only 19 years old.
May May could be considered that brilliant, beautiful, girl next door. She had been in cheerleading, was active in many school organizations, in the top percent of her class, active in church. I know this personally, for I saw her every day. I was Chief of Police with the school district and every student is one of my kids. May May was one of those rare young ladies that was as genuinely beautiful inside as she was out. May May had plans to change the world for good, to use her God-given talents in medicine and help make the world a better place. Because of the decision of that young man, who I won’t mention here because this posting is about May May and HER legacy, May May’s contribution to medicine is through her unselfish act of being an organ donor.
So, Meagan Michelle Rough truly does live on! Because of her love for others, many people are still alive, thanks to her generosity. Her memory is brilliantly bright in all of us who know and love her. From the ashes of the disaster that cost May May’s life, rose the creation of The Charter Room. This perfect tribute to May May, indeed, to all impacted by the loss of loved ones due to impaired driving, was the birth child of May’s mom, Kari and 3 other wonderful ladies. The Charter Room is a community place that is used for everything from driver’s education classes, arbitration, DWI/DUE awareness and a myriad of other uses. Located in the heart of downtown Kaufman, in the historic Greenslade’s Drug Store, at 111 W. Mulberry Street, 972-932-7111. Please visit their Facebook page and learn more.
Forever Young
As I gaze upon the fallen leaves,
And pull my collar tight.
I remember hearing of that news,
On that cold December night
No one truly knows,
Of the plans that God has made.
Sometimes it takes a tragedy,
To realize memories never fade.
True, we will never know
Of what May May could have done.
But, when I see the joy she brought
Before her journey to the Son.
I hear peals of loving laughter.
Pictures of each warm embrace.
Raucous cries of high school cheers,
Smiling lips upon her face.
Surrounded by a multitude,
Of family and friends.
May May valued each of us
With a love that never ends.
I remember of true beauty,
In her kindness and her wit.
Her zany times at Kaufman schools,
At Tech, her passion to commit.
Yes, May May left a legacy,
Her gifts left others a chance to live.
Which keeps her spirit so very close.
Because she chose to give.
My prayers for friends and family.
Her spirit will never go unsung.
May May lives in every heart
And, remains forever young.
Debi Logan Nixon
What a sweet ending to something so tragic!
Hi Julie!
It is heartbreaking. Her family and friends are such wonderful, strong people to be able to turn this tragedy into a triumph. Hopefully, it will make anyone think and stop, before getting behind the wheel after getting intoxicated.
Love ya!
Deb
This is so devastating to families, so heartbreaking. I don’t know the answer. There are many awareness programs on drinking and driving but it just seems when a person has too much to drink they don’t care. You can’t reason with some not to get behind the wheel of a vehicle.
Hi Ann,
You are so right about the devastation to family and friends. I did disaster drills for my Criminal Justice class, with the students being the “victims, suspects, etc.”, to raise awareness to the consequences of drinking and driving, and now, texting and driving. If people would only understand how simple and smart it is to have a designated driver, so many lives would be saved. Thank you for reading this article…pass the word!
Take care,
Deb