Kentucky Man Survives Horrific Texting and Driving Crash and Has an Important Message
Please stop texting and driving- Nick Hurter, Owensboro, KY.
Nick recently shared those impassioned words of advice on social media. That messaging is something you hear frequently- from law enforcement at the local, state and federal level, from digital signs above the interstates headed into and out of major U.S. cities, from PSA campaigns on television and radio. However, as prevalent as that particular messaging is, it seems it's not truly sinking in for everyone. I can't tell you how many times a week I see someone texting while they're driving.
For Nick, the dangers of texting and driving hit exceptionally close to home. That danger literally came knocking on his car door. Here's the full post Nick shared on his Facebook page:
Please stop texting and driving. This was my journey back after the car wreck. It took years . . . 5 surgeries... countless procedures..hours of PT.. spinal injury... diaphragmatic tear... lower esophageal sphincter repair with a lynx device... abdominal injuries requiring surgeries and mesh repairs and more.... all because of one careless person who was texting and driving without insurance. Put down the phone ... it can wait.
Back in 2016, Nick was driving along U.S. 231. He has just gotten a haircut and was on his way home to prepare for a big day the following day. He was going to be presenting the 7 Habits of Highly Successful People to a group of high school students. He never got to make that presentation.
On his way home that day, another driver pulled in front of Nick, causing him to basically t-bone her car. Nick says, "She never saw me. She was looking at her phone. I never thought she was going to pull in front of me. It was like- Why didn't she stop?"
Nick says in that moment, that scary and ultimately life-changing moments, there was nothing he could do. He essentially had no time react. He didn't have to time to avoid the collision, a collision which would ultimately lead to those years of surgeries and rehab.
Nick's injuries were due to deceleration forces and his seat belt. He estimates he was traveling at a speed of 55 miles per hour at the time of the wreck. He ruptured discs in his back, fractured his spine, suffered abdominal injuries and more.
Today, Nick is much better, but certainly remembers the nightmare of the wreck and the road to recovery. Not only did he miss his scheduled presentation, Nick admits, "I missed a lot of things after that."
Since then he has overcome endless obstacles- the pain, the inability to sit or stand. All of those things kept him down for a while. But, he's back up, at it and on a mission with a message. That message? PLEASE. STOP. TEXTING. AND. DRIVING.
Nick's story certainly got my attention. Has it gotten yours? Then put down the phone. It can wait.
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