Areale Lashaun Louie
On May 6th at 12:42 a.m., my Baby’s life was taken by a Drunk Driver. I got that dreadful knock at the door by two police officers that changed my life forever, telling me that my baby was hit by a drunk driver and she “didn’t make it”.
My baby’s name is Areale Louie.
Areale was 24, she was attending TCC working toward her goal of becoming a Veterinarian while she worked as a Veterinarian Assistant at Cedarwood Veterinary Clinic.
Areale was pregnant with my grandbaby. Yes, Areale was 6 months pregnant. Areale was having a baby girl. “Namari” would’ve been her name. I was so happy and excited about the life growing inside of my child. I enjoyed, cherished and loved every moment of being my child’s mother. She was my gift! I never thought I would have to bury my child.
Areale and the rest of our family were excited and counting down the days for Namari’s arrival! Every year on September 9th, Areale’s due date, I can’t stop thinking about: I would have been holding my grandchild or waiting to hold my grandbaby on this day. I was so looking forward to that moment, being able to count my grandbaby’s hands and toes and embrace my daughter for doing such a great job giving childbirth to her baby.
The Pain, “the pain is unbearable”. My baby’s life and my grandchild’s life was snatched from me and my family,” said Rameissa, Areale’s mother!
Because of a drunk driver “I don’t have the opportunity to watch my grandbaby take her first step & see her mom’s face light up the room with her beautiful smile!
Drunk Driver, Was it worth it??? Your moment of fun took My baby and My grandbaby’s life.
“I hurt, but my heart says forgive,” said Rameissa.
“We’re trying to forgive the drunk driver in our hearts, you know. I just wish she would have made a better decision,” said Jaylyn, Areale’s sister!
Bobby Wayne Simmons
Melissa Brandon remembered October 17, 1999 as the night she got off work and came home to later have a trooper & police officer knock at her front door. At the time she was a 911 dispatcher in Sapulpa.
Because of working in that field “When I saw the police and a trooper at my door, I knew the next thing would be bad,” Melissa remembered. “They came to the door and told me that Bobby had been in a crash and that he didn’t make it.”
“The boy ran off the roadway,” she remembered being told. “He was a couple years older than Bobby. “The boy was driving over 100 miles an hour on that road that night, and had been drinking” The car went off the road was flipped and Bobby was killed.
Bobby Simmons was 15 years old, Melissa’s eldest son when he was killed in the drunk driving crash.
The only fatality in the single car crash.
“Bobby was like the rock, the oldest child, he kind of laid the foundation for her other two children, Tia & Brent”
“You’re pretty much overcome with the grief and the loss,” Melissa said.
“The first thing you think of is ‘Are you sure? Are you sure?’”, she said. “’This can’t have happened.’ And then your world starts crashing around you.”
“At 15, I should be buying him a car not a coffin. So, you think about those things and how close you are with your children and how you would feel if someone came to your door and said they’re gone.”
“My message to those who are thinking about picking up keys after drinking is ‘Don’t do it”. “It’s not worth your life or the life of those who you may effect.“
(In loving memory of Melissa “Mimi” Brandon a strong advocate of ending impaired driving)
OUR MISSION
Project VIP provides court-accepted victim impact panels to offenders in hopes of preventing recidivism and providing education for the awareness of the harmful impacts caused by drunk and drugged driving.