Changing my world... one word at a time.

Poster reads: Don't let happy hour turn into a thirty year sentence. Chris Sandy is in prison after drinking and driving and killing two innocent people. How happy is that?

Usually people live day-to-day and never think about inmates. Prison inmates. [Unless they know one or hear about them on the news.] I am one of those people who never thinks about inmates. This morning I woke up and went to school. Around 10:00 the whole school filed into the gym for an assembly. I walked in and chose my seat beside my friends. After seating myself I realized that there were two police officers and an INMATE. A nice looking young man with a white uniform and leg shackles. Our SADD (students against destructive decisions) students introduced our guest speaker. His name was Chris Sandy.

Sandy is an inmate with a cause, and today he shared his story with us!

In 2000, Chris Sandy was 22-years-old. He loved to spend time with his family and friends and go to parties. On April 11, 2000 Sandy's life changed forever. Many people drink alcohol and do not even think about what could happen if they got in a vehicle. Sandy was one of those people. Chris and his friend Jessie were at a party of a friend. After talking to another friend on the phone, Chris and Jessie decided to go to another party. Chris got behind the wheel of his car after having four mixed drinks. Going 77 miles per hour and passing a van, Chris wrecked into the vehicle of an elderly couple, killing them on impact. Jessie managed to put on his seat belt as he realized what was about to happen, saving his life. Chris was pinned against the passenger side windshield and was bleeding severely. After pulling himself from the car Chris was drifting in and out of consciousness. He had broken his leg at the hip and severely injured his knee. Sandy prayed that this was all a nightmare and as soon as he opened his eyes again everything would be fine. He was brought back to reality when he heard someone say "There has been a fatality on the scene!" Chris did not know what to do now. When the officers arrived at the scene they asked Chris the routine questions... Were you speeding? No. Have you been drinking? No. Chris knew from that moment on his life would never be the same.

Chris spent five days in the hospital where his friend Carrie informed him about what had happened. The car he hit was owned by a very well known elderly couple in his community. The woman driving the car died on impact. Her husband had been airlifted to the same hospital Chris was in and died after arriving.

After being bailed out of jail, Chris spent the next year waking up every morning wondering what the future held for him. How long he would be in jail? What would happen between he and his girlfriend? What would his family do? Chris was being charged with two counts of vehicular homicide while driving under the influence. Chris could serve as much as 15 years in prison for only one count.

The morning Chris went to court all of his friends were there to support him. As Chris walked into the courtroom he saw the victims family and proceeded with his head down. Chris's attorney then entered the room with two packets of paperwork. The State of Georgia and the victims family had reached an agreement. The judge read Chris his sentence... 13 years in a Georgia State Prison and then 17 years of probation. After reading the sentence the judge gave Chris Sandy the opportunity to say anything he wanted to the victims family. As he turned to apologize, the victims' family was crying so hard that it made it difficult for Chris to speak to them. Years later he wrote the family a letter apologizing once again, unknowing whether they received or even read it.

After being in jail for about eight years Chris is in a program which allows him to leave prison under the custody of a sheriff to speak to students about drinking and driving. Chris is set to be let out of prison and begin his probation in April of 2010, unless the victims family objects, then he will have to wait longer. Chris also focused on the horrors of living in prison. Working without pay and having no connection to the outside world. Chris can only have visits once a week. During the time he has been in prison, Chris has suffered the loss of three grandparents and his father.

With his horrible testimony, Chris hopes to begin a program similar to the one he is a part of to encourage students not to drink and drive. Chris is working on an autobiography and hopes to write other books for teenagers.

Think about what you do before you get into a vehicle, whether you have been drinking or the driver has. Encourage your friends not to drink and drive. I had my world changed today, one word at a time by an inmate named Chris Sandy. By the time Chris was done telling us his story, I wanted to cry and hug him and pray for him! Then Chris's escorting officers handcuffed him, right in front of us. It broke my heart. It broke my heart for him and his family and the victims family, all of Chris's friends, and everyone that his one stupid mistake affected.

This man had a life-changing impact on me! I will definately think about my friend and myself before we make stupid decisions that will land us in prison for years......

I pray that Chris can achieve his goals and make an impact on teenagers and young adults across the country. If you ever have the opportunity to see one of Chris's presentations, you will enjoy every second of it. Think before you act. Pray for Chris Sandy and inmates going through the same thing.

Britany <3