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Syracuse, Neb. —
“Don't trade your life for the words on a phone,” said Johnny Mac Brown to a school assembly of high school and junior high students at Syracuse-Dunbar-Avoca High School on April 5. Johnny Mac, his wife, Jeanne Brown, and his daughter Katrina Brown have been speaking across the country about the dangers of texting while driving.
Alex Brown, Johnny Mac and Jeanne's oldest daughter, lost her life in a one-vehicle accident that happened while Alex was on her way to school on the morning of Nov. 10, 2009 in Wellman, Texas.
That morning Alex had decided to take a route to school that was less populated than her usual one. When Jeanne, a teacher at her daughter’s school, learned that Alex was not in her second period class, she left to retrace Alex's route to school.
Jeanne found something that no parent should find. Along the side of the road was Alex's rolled pickup truck. “I got out of the car and started yelling for Alex,” said Jeanne Brown. “When I saw she wasn't in the truck I thought to myself that she must have started walking to get help.” It was then that Jeanne came around the other side of the truck and found her daughter lying in the weeds.
Katrina, Alex's little sister, remembered being picked up from school by her aunt. “When I was told they airlifted her I just figured it was because we were an hour away from the hospital,” she said. “I didn't realize she was in critical condition.”
After surgeons battled to save Alex, the Brown family was forced to make the difficult decision to take her off of life support. “It should not be an option for parents to have to bury their kids,” said Johnny Mac.
Investigations into the accident found that Alex had been going 73 m.p.h. in a 60 m.p.h. zone and was not wearing her seatbelt when she left the road. It was determined from her cell phone that she had been texting four friends while on the way to school. “Texting caused the accident. Not wearing her seatbelt caused her death,” said Jeanne.
According to Jeanne Brown, Alex was on track to become valedictorian of her class and had planned on graduating high school with 33 college credits, making her able to bypass her freshman year of college. “She valued every person she met,” said Jeanne. “Alex always said, 'I want to change the world or die trying.’”
“Don't trade your life for the words on a phone,” said Johnny Mac Brown to a school assembly of high school and junior high students at Syracuse-Dunbar-Avoca High School on April 5. Johnny Mac, his wife, Jeanne Brown, and his daughter Katrina Brown have been speaking across the country about the dangers of texting while driving.
Alex Brown, Johnny Mac and Jeanne's oldest daughter, lost her life in a one-vehicle accident that happened while Alex was on her way to school on the morning of Nov. 10, 2009 in Wellman, Texas.
That morning Alex had decided to take a route to school that was less populated than her usual one. When Jeanne, a teacher at her daughter’s school, learned that Alex was not in her second period class, she left to retrace Alex's route to school.
Jeanne found something that no parent should find. Along the side of the road was Alex's rolled pickup truck. “I got out of the car and started yelling for Alex,” said Jeanne Brown. “When I saw she wasn't in the truck I thought to myself that she must have started walking to get help.” It was then that Jeanne came around the other side of the truck and found her daughter lying in the weeds.
Katrina, Alex's little sister, remembered being picked up from school by her aunt. “When I was told they airlifted her I just figured it was because we were an hour away from the hospital,” she said. “I didn't realize she was in critical condition.”
After surgeons battled to save Alex, the Brown family was forced to make the difficult decision to take her off of life support. “It should not be an option for parents to have to bury their kids,” said Johnny Mac.
Investigations into the accident found that Alex had been going 73 m.p.h. in a 60 m.p.h. zone and was not wearing her seatbelt when she left the road. It was determined from her cell phone that she had been texting four friends while on the way to school. “Texting caused the accident. Not wearing her seatbelt caused her death,” said Jeanne.
According to Jeanne Brown, Alex was on track to become valedictorian of her class and had planned on graduating high school with 33 college credits, making her able to bypass her freshman year of college. “She valued every person she met,” said Jeanne. “Alex always said, 'I want to change the world or die trying.’”
As for the Brown family, they've taken those words to heart by speaking to everybody they can reach about the dangers of texting while driving.
“Eleven people your age will die today from texting,” Johnny Mac said to the SDA assembly. “The small choices are just as important as the big choices... There's only two outcomes from every choice that you make. You either reap the benefits or suffer the consequences.”
Jeanne continued the message by saying, “I want you to learn from Alex's mistakes so it doesn't happen to you... You're worth more than a cell phone.”
In 2010 the Nebraska legislature passed a law prohibiting the use of handheld wireless devices while operating a motor vehicle. The law makes it a secondary offense with penalties of up to $500 for a third offense and three points assessed on your license each time.
“Lots of states have laws against texting and driving,” said Johnny Mac. “Those laws are not going to stop you from texting while you’re driving. That's your decision.”
Some students took pledges after the assembly to not text and drive. “I took the pledge,” said Meagan Mcley, “because I've seen what it can do to people and I hate that my parents do it.”
Shelby Diers said, “After seeing that I realized that I can wait... It's more important to save mine and someone else's life.”
While addressing the students, Jeanne said, “If you are going to text while driving, do your parents a favor... tell them what color casket you want. When I went to get a casket I didn't think that any of them looked right for Alex... no parent would... Tell them what songs you want played at your funeral and if you want the recorded version or someone to sing it... With Alex we didn't know.”
She finished by saying, “Our prayer is that in your heart there's a little seed planted so when that phone goes off you won't grab it.”
Go to the Remember Alex Brown Foundation's website by clicking here.
