Freer High School students got a dose of reality Friday, may 16th, through a program designed to show the devastating consequences of drunk driving before graduation season.
The "Shattered Dreams" event featured a mock crash scenario that brought home the dangers of driving under the influence.
"You're risking yourself and the lives of others," said Orlando Perez, sophomore at Freer High School.
For 16-year-old, the demonstration hit particularly close to home.
"The reason I did choose to do this was because my cousin Albert was actually struck by an 18-wheeler. The driver was drunk. Fortunately, everyone in the car lived except him," Perez said.
The teenager told KRIS 6 News witnessing the first responders at the mock event reminded him of losing his cousin in 2019.
He hopes the event sends a powerful message to his peers about making responsible choices.
"Your car can live through a crash, you can't. So, it's more wise to get a ride from someone who is sober," Perez said.
Rachel De Los Santos, Freer's Municipal Judge, expressed pride in bringing the event to her city for the second time since 2007.
"It's a reenactment of the pain, the horror, of what law enforcement sees, what first responders sees, of what the victims' families have to endure," De Los Santos said.
According to Texas Department of Transportation(TxDOT) data, there were 4,950 crashes involving alcohol and drivers between the ages of 16 and 24 last year.
"We've had several fatalities of students having celebrated too much and making the decision to get behind the wheel of a car," De Los Santos said.
Karmen Aguillon, another Freer High School student who participated in the mock crash, found the experience sobering.
"I didn't know I was going to die," Aguillon said, referring to her role in the simulation.
The realistic nature of the event left a strong impression on her.
"I feel sad. Like, wow, that was someone. And just devastating," Aguillon said.
Students who participated in the event acknowledged that while what they experienced was simulated, they recognized how easily it could become someone's reality.
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