KEMPTVILLE – Everybody can make that one wrong decision that they can still regret no matter how much time has passed.
However, Kevin Brooks, a public speaker and comedian, made a mistake 18 years ago that not only impacted his life, but everyone around him; and the wheelchair he wakes up next to each morning is a constant reminder of this terrible mistake.
Brooks spoke at a recent Ontario Students Against Impaired Driving (OSAID) conference about his one wrong decision Mon., Nov. 19 at the Kemptville Municipal Building to students from 20 different schools in the area.
What started as a typical summer June day of the new millennium, ended in the worst way possible because Brooks got behind the wheel while intoxicated.
Unfortunately, Brooks did not make this decision and thought he was good enough to get behind the wheel after excessive drinking. He was so confident in his driving abilities that night, he almost doubled the speed limit.
A simple curb, no more than six inches, was the cause of Brooks’ accident. Most would be able to drive through an obstacle like that but the speed Brooks was going, mixed with all the other distractions, was enough to seal his fate.
Brooks had little memory of that terrible night and had learned the details from his mother on a hospital bed. Despite learning the horrible reality that the damage to his spinal cord resulted in him being wheelchair bound for the rest of his life, that was nothing compared to learning the tragic fate of his best friend.
Throughout his speech, Kevin liked to crack a few jokes for the audience to ease the tension but he couldn’t manage that while talking about his deceased friend. Brooks continued to recount his experience with meeting Brendon’s parents, the fear of being able to face them after what he had done.
After an emotional talk, Brendon’s father told him that his son made the decision to get in that vehicle. Just like Brooks, Brendon too made that one wrong decision.
After Brooks finished his speech to the students, he showed a short video of his journey, his time in the hospital, time with his family, the before and after shot of the vehicle and, a dedication to Brendon.