Take the Pledge: No Texting & Driving Teens…and All Ages!

Wow!  That is all I can say.  I don’t even watch a lot of reality shows and I usually don’t watch “Extreme Home Makeover,” but when I went to record my favs, “Desperate Housewives” and “Brothers and Sisters,” a little voice told me to instead tape “Extreme Home Makeover” tonight.  So I did.

So, as my family watched “Extreme Home Makeover” and I immediately and gratefully understood why I decided, out of the blue, to go ahead and tape that show.  It was all about a family whose first-born daughter lost her life because she chose to text and drive. 

So many teens choose to text and drive.  And let’s admit it, many adults do, too. 

I, myself, have been tempted.  When that little ding goes off and I know that someone is trying to reach me right then and there, boy have I been tempted to take my eyes off the road for a spilt second to take a quick peek.  And I haven’t, but I sure have looked…and texted back…at red lights.  I fully admit that.

So, this sweet teenager, named Alex rolled her truck on her way to high school because she, like so many of us, texted while driving. 

And when her mother didn’t get the text that she had arrived safely at school and the attendance office confirmed that she hadn’t arrived….our worst nightmare as Moms….she drove the route and found her daughter’s wrecked truck and her baby girl’s body a few feet away.  Absolutely heartbreaking.

A lot of families could not bear to see that wrecked truck a second time, but this amazing family loaded the banged up vehicle onto a moving truck and have been visiting high schools spreading the message to not text and drive ever since their unbearable loss.

Little sister Katrina, now 12 years old, joins them on this journey to make a difference in their late daughter’s name. 

I made both of my kids watch the show tonight.  And we were touched and our shared tears showed that we were touched.

Check out abc.com to see if they air the rerun and in the meantime, you and your kids should sign the Remember Alex Brown Don’t Text and Drive pledge here at this link…

http://abc.go.com/shows/extreme-makeover-home-edition/rab-pledge

My family is signing it now and they will sign it again when they are 15 years old applying for their driving permit. 

As a manic managed mom, it truly pains me that I can’t be there to guide their every move, but I can help spread awareness because today’s world seems a lot more dangerous than the world that I grew up in. 

Time to sign off to go back to work giving my kids their roots and wings. 

And tonight I say a prayer for Alex Brown’s sweet Texas family.  Thank you beautiful Brown family for spreading your message of hope, even through your own loss and despair.  It really does take a village.

Please drive safe everyone.