聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Visiting Gordon F. Kells High School on Friday, March 10, were Melanie and Allan Kerpan from Kenaston. Although they smiled and welcomed the students to their presentation, they weren鈥檛 there for a happy topic, or even an easy subject. They were there to speak to the students about their daughter and the dangers of drinking and driving.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 In 2014, Danille Brooke Kerpan, the youngest of Melanie and Allan鈥檚 four children, was killed in a head on collision on Hwy 11 near Bladworth. In January of 2016 the court case was concluded with John Koch pleading guilty to impaired driving causing death; but, the Kerpans will forever be living with the consequences of an individual鈥檚 decision to drink and drive.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The Kerpans began their presentation by remembering Danille. Video and photos of her life flashed across the screen, as the students watched her grow from a baby to a young woman. Getting a small glimpse of her life they learned she loved horses, played basketball, and was very close to her family.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 When the video ended, Melanie asked the students to visualize the next part of the presentation. She read out a scenario of a mother and daughter parting from shopping in Saskatoon, each driving home. The mother getting home and falling asleep next to her husband, but startled awake by a knock at the door.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 She wakes her husband to see who could be at the door at that hour. She listens down the stairs as her husband is asked if his wife is home and if he would please get her. The wife begins down the stairs, it was an RCMP officer, and she knew it wouldn鈥檛 be good news; in fact all that went through her mind was, which one? Which one of her four children?
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 They were informed by the officer that Danille had been involved in a fatal collision, the driver who was driving the wrong way on a divided highway was suspected of driving while under the influence.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淎s we drove here, I wondered who is Danille to you?鈥� Melanie said to the students. 鈥淲hy should you care? Well, she could have been your friend, your sister, someone you loved.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Allan then spoke to the students about a few statistics: 鈥淚n Saskatchewan we are at three times the national average of drunk driving deaths. We are two times the rate of Alberta. Four people die every day in Canada鈥� That鈥檚 like coming back to Carlyle in one year and there鈥檚 nobody here and another year later going to Arcola and there鈥檚 nobody there.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淎nd it鈥檚 not because of some disease; this is a needless issue that doesn鈥檛 have to happen. It鈥檚 not an accident. It鈥檚 a preventable collision.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Allan went on to explain that the many people in rural Saskatchewan prescribe to the mentality of 鈥淚 won鈥檛 get caught; I won鈥檛 get in an accident; it won鈥檛 happen to me.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淔ifty-five people die because of drunk driving every year in Saskatchewan and I know that doesn鈥檛 sound like a lot, but that鈥檚 until one of them is yours,鈥� Allan stated.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 never worried about the court case; it was the least of my worries,鈥� he explained. 鈥淚 knew he鈥檇 get two to four years and lose his licence; I spent my time thinking about Danille and about things I could change, which included a victim impact statement to be read in front of the judge.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Both Melanie and Allan read their powerful statements, which they read in court during the trial, to the students.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 As they concluded their presentation Allan told the students that if they only take one thing away from the talk to remember this: 鈥淚t鈥檚 something our oldest son said to us a couple of days after we lost Nille: 鈥榃e are a normal, average family in Saskatchewan; in Canada. What makes us think that it couldn鈥檛 happen to us, what would make us any different?鈥� And there鈥檚 not one person in this world that is immune to it.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Melanie added, 鈥淲e鈥檙e not saying you should never drink. When you鈥檙e of age, drink responsibly, but do not drink and drive. Each one of you can make a difference. You need to make the decision today that you鈥檙e not going to drink and drive. You need to plan ahead.鈥�
