drinking and driving

Some sad news flashed on the tv screen yesterday morning. While we were sitting down for breakfast a picture of this lady appeared on the tv. The tv anchor announced she had been charged with manslaughter. I took a second look and realized it was somone we knew. It was one of our painters. The charge was initially intoxication assault and was upgraded last night to involuntary manslaughter as her husband had died wednesday night due to his injuries.
We had hired these painters whom I had met actually last summer but waited until last month to actually have the work done. The job was a little more drawn out than we thought but the end result was outstanding. This husband and wife team really did quality work. They brought their girls over one weekend when they came to paint. They were both very respectful and polite. While this couple werent some of our closest friends we had some great conversations over the course they were at our house.
The husband's (who died) father is a retired colonel in the Air Force and is very repected individual in San Antonio, volunteering much of his free time to Habitat for Humanity. His father had just won a big teaching award here in San Antonio. Louis has mentioned all this to me as he really admired his father. He and his wife were the ones who took care of any military people that wanted their service, rather than sending out any of their hired help.
This suddent tragedy was just a huge eye opener that it is really not worth it to think you are ok to get in a car and drive home after having one too many drinks. This family is forever changed because of lack of better judgement. These girls have really lost both the mother and their father as the mom will be in jail for a good while and rightfully so. I am sure in her sobering moments these days she is sitting there with regret, wishing she had not been behind that wheel. I'll speak for myself that I have driven on occassion after nights out on the town. It is just NOT worth the risk of losing your life or taking another's life. I don't ever want to be in this family's shoes!