kids

This is Michael. He is 14 years old. It looks like he can just get up out of the bed and walk away. He
can't. He can't do anything. See that tube coming out of abdomen? That's how he eats, drinks and takes
his medicine. If I threw a piece of paper at him, he wouldn't blink. If I asked him to squeeze my finger,
he wouldn't. I haven't heard him talk in about 7months. Notice the brace on his left leg? It is there to
straighten it out. It stays bent all the time. His muscles are becoming shorter because he cannot walk.
He had surgery on his ankles and his leg to fix this. His muscles stayed tight all the time, so they had to
surgically implant a pump into his abdomen that would pump medicine directly into his spinal cord.How
does he go to the bathroom? He wears a diaper. The bed that you see him lying in is pretty much
where you will find him. We get him out of the bed with hoist and put him into his wheelchair. It is not
hard to do, because he has lost 15 pounds since he was left to die. He doesn't roll himself around in his
chair, he can't; he does not have control of his muscles. He stares off into space most of the time, I am
not sure if he knows where he's at.

Why is Michael in this condition? He drank alcohol and drowned. Why did he drink the alcohol? Peer
pressure. He wanted to hang with the older kids, he wanted to be accepted by them. Kids are taught to
trust adults. In this case, there were adults present and they did nothing to stop it. Was it worth it? If he
could speak, I am sure that he would tell you wasn't. He may never be able to speak again.

Our hopes and dreams for Michael have changed. We wanted him to finish school, go to college, get a
good job and enjoy life. Now we just want him to be able to talk, hold his head up, eat, walk, and
recognize his parents. My life and his Mother's life are changed forever. We both died on that beach on
June 7,2005. Michael has a 21 year old brother that breaks down every time he sees him. He can't stand
to see his little brother in this condition. His Grandparents are falling apart. His friends are hurting.

Kids are everything to their parents. They love you more than you could ever imagine. They would give
their lives for you. They will fight for you whether you are right or wrong. They are your best friends and
you don't even realize it. You will never know how deep their love for you is until you have children of
your own. Listen to them, they want you safe.

Please don't put your parents through what Michael is putting us through. Peer pressure can kill you,
don't let it.

SUDS: Stop Underage
Drinking and Sales
To report any
violations of state
laws pertaining to
alcohol or tobacco
sales, please call toll
free 1-866-540-SUDS
(7837).

The Division of Alcoholic
Beverages and Tobacco is
currently seeking volunteer
investigative aides. For
more information regarding
this program, see their
Become an Investigative
Aide brochure.

WHO CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE
INVESTIGATIVE AIDE
PROGRAM? YOUTH WHO ARE:

1. Good students and law
abiding.
2. Between The ages of 14 and
19.
3. Given permission by a
parent or guardian who has
signed a permission affidavit.
4. Willing to volunteer and
sign an Agreement of
Understanding, that states The
rules of conduct
for a program participant.

Brittany- 16 years old

First of all, Brenda i just want to say your a strong and wonderful person my prayers and thoughts go
out to you, Michael, Dave and your family. I have a message for teens who tend to make idiotic choices
and their parents that are clueless. To fill you in im a 16 yr old who faces peer presure on a regular
basis, i take ful responsibility for my actions and i do my best to judge what is right and what is wrong.
Well ill to get to the point. Last week i got invited to a party it was out in the middle of no where over 20
minors driving and drinking partying in the middle of nowhere no concerned parents? if anything were
to happen to any of my friends i wouldnt be able to live w/myself. So its 10 at night everyones going to
this party i got as much info about the party as possible so where was the liquor coming
from('coolparents') where was everyone gonna sleep, whose providing what.. i told my parents, dad
made a phone call not giving his name just saying hes a concerned parent DO you know for sure where
your child is? do you know your child is about to put him/herself in danger. I hear theres a party hosted
by such and such theres alcohol involved please find your child and make sure you know there where
abouts tonight...well the party got busted by another parent and police. Parents who try and be there
teens bestfriend please dont give us alcohol even if its just around you or at home. i made a sacrifice
of being on the "cool" list and im alive i still have friends to hang with. So teen to teen discourage your
friends when you know that there about to make a mistake like use drugs. Teens please realize parents
arent just around to ruin your life, have more pride in yourself, Help guide your friends away from drugs
and use good judgement. yeah its hard i know but theres plenty of ways to do it take advice from a
responsible adult some one you trust or join SADD students helping students away from drugs. I know i
made the right choice and i can live w/myself if i never would have told my parents about the party then
i know someting horrible could have happend to one of my friends or someone else. I dont think a one
time use of any type of drug is worth my life or anyone elses. Michaels situation gave me the guts to
speak, he helped me make the right choice. God bless you and your family Michael.I wish the best for
you!people pls help me and others discourage teens from drug use! theres more to life...

Brittany

Sue- Grandmother

this is Michaels "Maw Maw" and I have been wanting to write for a long time but I too have a hard time
typing thru my tears. They are endless so if I keep waiting for the tears to stop I'll never get it written
so here goes. My message is for the teens out there. Brenda, Dave, Brandon, and all the rest of the
family already know how we feel about all this. What I would like to say to you kids is this... We have
always been told as parents to "talk to your kids". I know for a fact that parents do talk to their kids and
that no parent could possibly be any closer and have more"talks" with their kid than Dave and Michael.
So this is waht I would like to beg of you kids. It is obvious that you listen to each other more than your
parents so you must start taking care of each other. When you see " a friend" doing anything that you
know in your heart is wrong , you have to stop them. Whether it is dangerous or just plain wrong, step
up, if you say you are a friend than "be" a friend and stop them. One of the other mothers wrote about
her son and about how "cool" he really is because he doesn't fall for the stuff alot of the other kids are
doing. You too can be just as cool, give it a try please. I'm starting to sound like a nagging
grandmother so I'll get off but I'm begging you to take care of each other so you and your parents will
not have to go through this Hell. Don't take the chance Michael did because then it is too late. From a
grandmother who dies of a broken heart every day.

Don't Let This Happen to You