Today was going to be a great day! My wife and I were celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary. The day began with a family photo – the kids and grandkids; the perfect canvas for over the fireplace. Then, you took it all away.
Today was the day you took my life. I was on my way to pick up the flowers I ordered for my wife. I was driving down Maple Road when you suddenly crossed the center line into my lane. Before everything turned dark, I saw you looking down. I don’t know if it was a phone call, text, or something else that was so important to you; I never will. I died, because you were a distracted driver.
You not only took away my life, you took away the life of my wife, children, grandchildren, mother, brother and sister. The pain you have inflicted on my family will never go away. Time will never heal the grief they are feeling. Every anniversary will be the most painful, but no birthday or holiday will pass without deep sorrow of what we had before I died, because you were a distracted driver.
Now my family has only memories – and grief. Many lives changed forever because you were a distracted driver.
Family members nationwide were coming to town this summer for a family reunion. The last time we were all together was nearly ten years ago. My wife was planning the big event; instead she will be planning my funeral, because you were a distracted driver.
We talked about when we would retire and where we would travel. My wife and I loved to travel She loved planning every detail of our vacations. Those days are gone; I died, because you were a distracted driver.
I was looking forward to watching my grandkids grow up – grade school, high school, college, marriage, and families of their own. I enjoyed the small things like sitting by the pool sharing a glass of lemonade or grandparents day at pre-school. You have deprived me of these precious lifecycle events, because you were a distracted driver.
I wish you could see the dazed look in all of my family members’ eyes and hear the bursts of hysterical sobbing. No consoling can ease the pain. How do you console someone who lost a husband, father, son, grandpa, brother, and son-in-law? Lives have been shattered; the future will never be the same. You took my life, and part of theirs, because you were a distracted driver.
Tell me – was it worth it? My wife doesn’t think so. Neither does my mother, brother, sister, kids and grandkids. I died, and an important part of them died as well, because you were a distracted driver.
Mark Bello is the CEO and General Counsel of Lawsuit Financial Corporation, a pro-justice lawsuit funding company.
@thumbnail.jpg "Mark M. Bello")
Experienced attorney, lawsuit funding expert, certified civil mediator, and award-winning author of the Zachary Blake Legal Thriller Series. The series features super-trial lawyer Zachary Blake handling "ripped from the headlines" legal and political issues of the day. The series currently consists of Betrayal of Faith, Betrayal of Justice, Betrayal in Blue, Betrayal in Black, and Betrayal High, with a sixth Zachary Blake novel due out later this year. To learn more about these topical social justice legal thrillers. please visit markmbello.com. Mark is a member of the State Bar of Michigan, a sustaining member of the Michigan Association for Justice, and a member of the American Association for Justice.
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