Think before we drive

I spent the weekend in Iowa City enjoying the U.S. Olympic Wrestling Trials. It was a blast! I enjoy being part of the media pool for such events and this was no exception.  Being right there on top of the mats and watching the best wrestlers in America battle it out for spots on the USA Olympic team was and is nothing short of epic.  I met old friends and made some new ones. 
I arose extra early on Monday. I needed to drop my buddy at the airport in Cedar Rapids before heading back to Kasson to the office. As I drove I felt overly drowsy. I was exhausted. I have terrible sleeping habits so I probably slept nine hours the entire weekend. 
I was nodding and I do believe at one moment I actually fell asleep. Only reason I know this is because the vibration from the side of the road woke me up. I pulled the car back onto the road and made a decision. I pulled the car over and knowing I would probably fall asleep again if I continue driving, I locked the doors of my car and took a nap. The nap lasted nearly two hours proving that I was right in stopping. I’d made the right choice.
When I returned home, there was plenty of work to be done. This included attending Mothers Against Drug Driving (MADD (Olmsted County 2016 Victim Plaque Ceremony. With this event starting at 7 p.m. in Rochester, I was less than thrilled to cover the event. 
I dragged myself to the event with my camera, notebook and most of all my pasted on smile. I didn’t want anyone to know I would have rathered been home on the couch. I found a seat, sat down and the program began.
That is when it happened.
KTTC News’ Tom Overlie began the roll of names. He spoke with eloquence, but even more with such reverence. Every single name saw said with a brief break before the next name. In those moments I had the chance to reflect on the names. This reminded me of the annual reading of the names in New York every September 11th to honor those taken on the terrorist attacks in 2001.
Suddenly, these were not just names under a picture. They quickly became people. I wondered with each name what every victim was like. I suddenly wanted to know these people from as young as five months of age to those who were senior citizens. I wanted to know their goals, their families and what they were thinking or talking about when they were snuffed out by someone who made the decision to drive was impaired. With each name, I felt as if I had lost a friend. It was powerful.
Following the event, I mingled and spoke to a few different people, most plucked from anonymity to become someone with a cause they never sought after. One said, “This is not just about drinking and driving, driving under the influence of drugs and drowsy driving,” this woman said. “They are all about taking responsibility with driving. No one should get behind the wheel is they have been driving, using drugs or are too sleepy.”