We were the most typical, average American family ever. My mom got her teaching degree and spent her whole career as a middle school English teacher.

We were going south, at the same time an 18-wheeler, a tractor trailer, was going north just opposite us. Also, at the same time there was an 18-year-old young man who was driving to visit a friend. He had picked up his phone just to call that friend, never even saw the red light that he went through to make a left.

The 18-wheeler swerved, hit the front of this young man’s car, but he only received minor injuries.

But he hit our car head-on. My parents were killed and I was left with unbelievable physical and emotional pain for something that didn’t need to happen.

“When we are driving, we should only be driving.”