‘Please don’t leave me! I don’t want to die! I thought about my parents and wondered if this was how my life would end.’: College football player paralyzed by distracted driver

“The oncoming car was crossing the double yellow line, coming straight at us. In that moment, I saw the woman who was driving. She was looking down, and the blue light of a device lit her face in the growing darkness around us. I felt my body tensing for the toughest tackle of my life. It was like watching an eerie slow-motion playback from a big game.”

Woman navigating her sobriety journey smiles in photos, enjoying her sober life

12 Tips For Navigating Your Sobriety Journey

“In January 2020, I showed up to a new job intoxicated and high. After, I went on a two-day bender, where I didn’t stop drinking. I knew I needed help. Little did I know, a few months later the world was about to change forever.”

If I Knew Then, I Would Have Slowed Down A Bit More

“I would have hugged you more, even when you pushed me away. I would have kept you firmly planted on my hip, never knowing what day would be the last before you’d want to walk side by side. I would have snuggled a few more minutes before bedtime, because I know now those extra minutes only meant one thing… more time with you.”