ARCHER CITY (KFDX/KJTL) – Spring break is the time most students look forward to, but that week off can end tragically for those who don’t take precautions before making life-impacting decisions.
That’s where speakers Sean and Jenny Carter come in, to talk to students about the impact of drunk driving.

It’s nothing new to remind teens to not drink and drive or to get in a car with an intoxicated person; but having Sean Carter, a victim of a drunk driving incident, tell us his story, left students taking a pause to reflect on just how important this is.

On March 27, 2005, Sean Carter was just another 22-year-old college student.

“If you don’t ask questions, you are going back to class,” Presenter, Sean Carter said.

Until getting into a car with another intoxicated person left him permanently disabled and unable to speak.

“Well, it’s just something I would never want another mother to have to go through, unfortunately, there are too many that do, it’s hard, hard, hard,
bone-crushingly sad to have to do what I did,” Sean’s mother, Jenny Carter said.

Sean took advantage of his situation and used it as an opportunity to talk to teens and young adults across the state of Texas to be an example of what can happen by making one wrong decision.

“We just hope really that one person will make a difference in their life that will change the trajectory of their life. And honestly, we’ve gotten, we’ve received communication from kids, emails, texts, where they’ll tell us years later that Sean made them make a different decision that night,” Carter said.

Kayden Ritchie, a junior at Archer City High School said Sean’s story inspired her.

“It was really shocking, just to know that actually does happen just to anybody, and it was also inspiring because he works hard to get to where he is now,” student of Archer City HS, Kayden Ritchie said.

“I think it was received really well, I noticed at least one student in tears, so as long as we, I mean we reached one student, really reached one student then we know that we made an impact,” County Extension Agent for Family and Community Health of Archer CO. Maranda Revell, said.

As for Sean,

“I feel like it has become my purpose in life, it feels good to know I am saving others from making the mistakes I made,” Sean said.
To learn more about his story or reach out to Sean and his mother if this is something you may struggle with, click here.