The loss of a young life is felt by most people even if they do not personally know the deceased. It is not uncommon for strangers to feel that death came too soon for a person with so much life ahead to live. Just such a sentiment is spreading around one Chicago community after a tragic motor vehicle accident claimed the life of one of its own.
A 26-year-old University of Chicago law student was killed when the taxi she was traveling in was struck by a suspected drunk driver. The victim was riding with another law student on Lake Shore Drive when the suspected drunk driver drove the wrong way down the road. A collision occurred and both students were taken to the hospital where the deceased victim eventually lost her battle for life. The second student is reported to have suffered critical injuries as well.
Reports of the young victim’s character are heartbreaking to read because they show how special she was but also because they parallel the reports of many other young people who also have perished in untimely car collisions. It is also unfortunate to note how many of those incidents result from drunk driving accidents, accidents that could be preventable through sound judgment and valuing others’ lives. While a civil lawsuit against the responsible driver may yield financial compensation for the victim’s family it alone will not stop the epidemic of drunk driving accidents that kill so many people across the country each year.
The young victim in this story was scheduled to graduate from law school next month and after that planned to travel to Boston to begin her career as a corporate lawyer. Though many of her friends and colleagues may have been aware of her drive and intelligence, they will never know of her full potential. Her legacy may live on at her law school and in the hearts of those who loved her.
Source: Chicago Tribune, “Driver faces DUI charge in fatal Lake Shore Drive crash,” Rosemary Regina Sobol and Michelle Manchir, May 4, 2014
