Comments

• 2/27/2007 9:46 AM Vince wrote:
  Several years ago (well, more than several, actually) my cousin and her fiancee were going to the Jersey shore from Philadelphia. Along the way, a drunk driver lost control and crossed into their lane at a not-terribly-outlandish rate of speed, but the combined speeds were well over 90mph when they collided. Kathy went right thru the windshield and was dead instantly from a shattered cranium. Her fiancee, who had decided to wear his belt, was hospitalized for several months but recovered and is now a grandfather as well as a respected Minister in the mid-west. Kathy is dead. She didn't want to wrinkle her dress with the seat belt. When my Aunt died last year, the first thing her husband did was take that dress and burn it. Ever since that day, if I'm driving the car, we go no-where if all the passengers are not buckled in. It's a damn shame that it took the death of a lively, vibrant young woman to convince me of the necessity of passenger compartment restraint systems. I couldn't be more in favour of a "Primary Violation Statute" if Kathy had been my daughter or my sister, instead of my cousin who had turned around and was talking to me as I rode in the back seat of the car that day.
  Vince Brennan
  Philadelphia
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• 2/16/2007 7:03 AM Traci Blackstock wrote:
  Wow, this is a great idea. My nephew, Ryan Blackstock was killed in a car accident in Van Buren, Ar on April 6, 2004. He was as close to my own child as one could be. This loss was devastating to our close knit family. He was the middle passenger in a full size truck, the truck flipped, he was thrown out, in the process of the truck coming to a stop, it rolled over the back of his head, obviously causing severe head trauma. He underwent 1 surgery for a ruptured spleen, but it was hopeless, we stayed by his bedside for the next 4-5 hours, savoring every minute with him possible until his heart beat for the last time. Similiar to your daughter, this could of been prevented had he simply been wearing a seat belt. The other two kids in the truck are doing great. I am jealous of their families. They are so lucky. Ryan was a popular kid, and at his funeral, my dad turned to all the kids there (several hundred) and reminded them all to wear their seatbelts. For Ryan if for no other reason. It has been a rough 3 years, to his mother, the pain is as if it just happened yesterday. All because of a seat belt. Thank you for this website, if it makes kids (or anyone for that matter) realize the importance of seat belts, then it is all worth it. I know your pain will never go away, at times it, in fact, seems overwhelming, even after 3 years, but you are doing a fantastic thing with this website in your daughters honor. All the best to you and your husband.
  Ryans story and pictures are on a website called MEM.com, you just type in his last name and it will take you there.
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• 1/9/2007 6:58 PM WBF wrote:
  Brittaney's Grandfather is a member of a forum that centers around wooden boats. When Brittaney passed he shared with all of us the tragedy and the emotions. We would like to share with the world our response to this sad and memorable passing.
  
  Please see http://www.woodenboat-ubb.com/vbulletin/upload/showthread.php?t=56308&highlight=brittaney
  
  to see how her passing has affected each and every one of us.
  
  On behalf of the WBF, Bilge community.
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• 1/6/2007 10:35 AM jake wrote:
  Brittaney held and still holds a very special part of my heart. She made me happy, no matter what my mood was. She was loving and caring to anybody she ever met. She once told me that "hunting sounded fun, but we didn't really have to take a gun". She was the most kind-hearted person i've ever known. She is in a lot better place right now looking down on us. We are the ones left behind to deal with the loss, so even if you don't buckle up for yourself, buckle for the people that you love.
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