“It is the difficult times that, I believe, truly define who we are.”
In 2009, Neil Sheaffer’s wife was killed in a tragic accident. A car struck her while she was mowing their front lawn on a riding mower. The drive was distracted by texting on her cell phone. Neil drove up to the scene just minutes after it happened, the first, actually, but he doesn’t know it. He sees a lawnmower in the road, but can’t piece together the facts until he enters his own home to see who is there. After seeing his two children are safe inside the house, he runs back outside to where neighbors have gathered across the street.
I met Neil Sheaffer at a book signing event at a local book store. He mentioned he recently published a book, The House Always Wins, and I put it on my to-read list. It’s a very short, autobiographical read about his experiences during and after his wife’s death.
Neil has shared his story in many driving classes and wrote The House Always Wins to hopefully spread the message that driving is something to be taken seriously. Knowing this accident happened just 20 minutes from where I live makes it really hit home. I think this would be a great book for every driver and soon-to-be-driver to read. It also talks about forgiveness, which is a great message to hear.
How do you ensure you’re not a distracted driver? Share your tips in the comments.