Accident survivor talks to BNI students about making right choices
Nicole Wernes still misses her best friend, Lindsey, who died in a car crash the night of Crown Point High School's homecoming in 1995.
Nicole spoke to Bishop Noll students a few days before their own Homecoming and shared a first-hand account of how one night of bad decisions changed the course of many lives.
After putting finishing touches on the float after school and parading around the Crown Point town square, the two girls decided to skip the game and instead head for "destination: party city," she said.
After their second party, Lindsey was driving 66 mph when their car went off the road and struck a utility pole. Lindsey was pronounced dead at the scene and Nicole was unconscious in the passenger seat and would spend the next three months in a coma. She has a traumatic brain injury that affects her short term memory and has a lasting impact on her life today. She is not able to drive or work regularly. She tried to attend college classes but could not complete them due to her memory issues.
Since 2009, Nicole has shared her story with thousands of high school students hoping to prevent the same type of tragedy from happening again.
"It's about choices," she told the BNI students. "Making the right choices for the right reason. Have a good time but stay alert in your mind and body. Maybe save a life or two or three and you won't be caught dead wrong."
Bishop Noll sophomore Anthony Aguirre, of Hammond, said the assembly will make him think before making a poor decision and to help a friend who’s in trouble.
“Your life can change in a matter of seconds so always live life well,” Anthony said.
He said the speaker did a good job of relating her story to students who may think it’s a game or who don’t think it could happen to them.
Near the end of her talk, Nicole told the students about Indiana's Lifeline Law, which provides immunity for the crimes of public intoxication, minor possession, minor consumption and minor transport to people who seek medical assistance for a person suffering from an alcohol-related health emergency.