For decades, commercial Public Service Announcements (or PSAs) have told viewers about the dangers of addiction. Now a new promo is hitting the market, showing the true devastation of drinking and driving. As we have mentioned many times before, alcoholism can have a tremendous ripple effect; leading to premature deaths for not only those who use, but also those around them. And a particularly emotional spot, titled Drunk Driving Kills Grandmas, hits that point home.
The two-minute video features eight year old Reve Lefebvre, a Los Angeles local whose dad happens to be world famous chef Ludo Lefebvre. In it, she describes the loss of her beloved grandmother, Peggy Steward Braun, this past February.
“Over 29 people a day die from drunk driving,” Reve pleads in the YouTube promo. “You do the math, that’s too many. One of those persons was my grandmother and I miss her very much.”
Braun’s accident actually occurred in Colorado. While on vacation with her husband, Bill, Reve’s grandmother was hit head on by an intoxicated driver. She died at the scene and other family members in the car were seriously injured.
The man behind the damage was named William Randolph Lenox and he registered a blood alcohol level of .136 at the time of the accident (far above the legal limit).
One interesting note about the clip was that it was played during Lenox’s trial. According to those present, it became a very emotional moment and ultimately led to him receiving 25 years in prison for the charges (which included vehicular homicide).
Afterwards, Reve’s mom Krissy spoke to reporters about the case.
“The judge later stated that in her many years on the bench, she had never seen anything like Rêve’s message,” Krissy explained to the press. “Rêve hopes and we all hope that hearing what drinking and driving can do from the mouth of a child will really make people think before they drink.”
Now, Reve’s video is going viral. Chef Ludo has publicly shared it on all of his social media pages and it is getting picked up by important orgs like Mothers Against Drunk Driving (or MADD).
You can watch the clip in its entirety below. Not only does it include Reve’s impassioned speech, there is also a song she wrote and pictures of Braun with her grandchildren.
If you or anyone you know is struggling with alcoholism and putting themselves (or others) at risk, please reach out for help.
