Thunder Mountain High School students Gus Swanton, left, Brian Mielke, center, and Ryan Lee look at the 1999 Audi driven and crashed by Juneau-Douglas High School student Tyler Emerson in a drunk driving accident on Glacier Highway near Mile 37 on June 5, 2009. Passenger Taylor White was ejected and killed. Emerson and passenger Kelly Childers survived. The vehicle is now being used as a mobile display by Carol and Kevin White, Taylor’s parents. Thunder Mountain holds it’s Prom Saturday night with Juneau-Douglas’ a week later.
Michael Penn / Juneau Empire
Thunder Mountain High School students Gus Swanton, left, Brian Mielke, center, Ryan Lee look at the 1999 Audi driven and crashed by Juneau-Douglas High School student Tyler Emerson in a drunk driving accident on Glacier Highway near Mile 37 on June 5, 2009. Passenger Taylor White was ejected and killed. Emerson and passenger Kelly Childers survived. The vehicle is now being used as a mobile display by Carol and Kevin White, Taylor's parents. Thunder Mountain holds it's Prom Saturday night with Juneau-Douglas' a week later.
Comments (7)
Add commentAt least this one isnt too
At least this one isnt too over the top. The year I graduated, the senior class had a tailgate party in the parking lot of the school (not in Juneau). A friend of mine got very drunk and got in a fight with his girlfriend, left on his motorcycle and put down the shaded helmet visor even though it was dark out. Several people tried to stop him but he was determined. They estimated he hit the rear of the semi trailer at about 110 mph. The next day and around graduation for several years, the local paper printed a picture of his shattered helmet laying in a pool of blood. The intent was for shock value to convince kids not to drink and drive, but all it did was torture those who loved him as a friend. Not all shocking reminders should be used.
wreck
This is a good idea, this stuff has real shock value, which is needed. Granted, close friends should stay away as they probably already learned the lesson.
Nikki Catsouras
I agree that it doesn't need to be too graphic, and the crashed car alone is an appropriate example but doesn't go too far. For some truly disturbing look at the consequences of teen DUIs, look up Nikki Catsouras, but WARNING the images are extremely gruesome.
Wow... what this family (& friends) are doing
Is really impressive. I lost a child 14 years ago & it is NOT something a person can (or would WANT) to "The best thing you can do with death is to ride away from it" ... that is a typical statement from those who are uncomfortable around the grieving.
Our community has had a demonstration by the Taylor White Foundation & this has impacted the high school students in a BIG way! The whole community has become involved & if this visit helps just ONE kid to THINK before driving under the influence- I think that "dragging this wreck around" is a darn GOOD thing. And very admirable of all those involved. It has not even been 2 years since this family lost their son. Less then 2 years after the loss of a kid- most can still hardly get out of bed- & look at what these people are doing FOR OTHERS. I admire them all!
Something scary, necessary, and about time
I think having that wrecked car around is brilliant. Too many young people die each year because of stupidity. This may make them think for a change. This boy was not lost in vain. His parents are seeing to that. What a wonderful legacy for their son. If it even saves one life, it is magnificent. My prayers go out to the parents, and to the lost boy.
I don't know if anyone will see this....
Thank you all for your positive, or at least guardedly neutral statements.
The wrecked vehicle belongs not to the parents of the deceased, but to the Taylor White Foundation (www.taylorwhite.org). There is SO much work, supported by the community, besides simply the display of this automobile. For those who don't understand, the first work, the voice of the young people involved, is available as a link at upper left on the home page.
The empire, unfortunatley as usual, wished to boil down facts and were too busy to the people involved.
The quote from the first poster is interesting: "The best thing you can do with death is to ride away from it."
I looked and found an almost verbatim version of that sentiment on page 307 of my old copy of LONESOME DOVE, by Larry McMurtry. He is the most gifted observer of the human condition that I have ever read. There is also a passage in that great historical novel that works today, in relation to the "hunt them down at any cost" travesty of death and retribution vis. a vis. Bin Laden. I urge all of you to look it up, the novel is truly worth reading. For the first poster, we urge you to read it again. Death of someone close is uncomfortable, at the very least, but we will all experience this at some time.
The quote is attributed to a Captain C.F. McCall, who is somewhat of this mindset. The first poster seems to forget that not a one of the cowboy's involved in this epic trip forgot that death by snake on Nueces River, and ultimately Capt. Call hauled the body of his deceased partner and best friend from Montana to Texas, no mean feat in the 1870's, and derided by all as pure folly. Perhaps he was showing love, and working toward closure?
We all have different paths to understanding. God Bless you all, and our sorrow for your losses as well.
The parents of the deceased.