By Jessica Taloney Reporter
Published: Wed, April 23, 2008 - 5:00 pm
Jessica Taloney
"He had on grey shorts, tennis shoes, white socks, a Guy Harvey t-shirt and an Auburn University baseball cap," said Roney.
Roney's son, Chad, was just 16 years old, driving home from a church softball game, when he was hit head-on by a drunk driver. Chad Roney was killed instantly, so was the driver who hit him and the driver's two year old son.
"For three hours we sat in the family room at Singing River Hospital waiting for word," Roney said. "Finally they said he had arrived. I said well, I want to see him, and the coroner said no, you need to just go on home. I said no, you don't understand, I'm not leaving until I do see him."
From that moment on, Roney says her life was changed forever... Not just because she lost her son, but because she gained a mission.
"I have a lot of faith in God, and I've had a lot of people praying for me. My therapy is to go out and talk about Chad. That's how I get through it."
Roney started a Victim's Impact Panel in Jackson County, Mississippi, forcing drunk drivers to hear the stories of families like hers, who were torn apart by alcohol. In one of her sessions, Roney invited lawmakers and local judges to listen in, including Mobile County Juvenile Court Judge Edmond Naman.
"When I sat and heard Mrs. Roney's story for the first time it really moved me," said Naman. "It really not only moved me, but almost in a way agitated me to think how fleeding is the life of our children, we've got to protect them."
Judge Naman was so touched by Roney's story that he was inspired to create a similar program in Mobile County, but his program targets underage drinkers and their parents.
"Parents have lived long enough to know that these things do happen, and when parents sit and hear another parent who has lost a child, hopefully it will move them to action, move them to want to be parents, move them from not necessarily wanting to be friends anymore but to watch out and do whatever it takes to protect their children," said Naman.
Since Mobile's program began in March 2007, 75 kids and 75 parents have witnessed the powerful testimony of drunk driving victims. Judge Naman hopes the message spreads and teens caught with alcohol will choose a different path when they leave the program.
Tune in to WKRG News Five for a special half hour investigation Wednesday 8pm... Underage Drinking: What IS The Problem?
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