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Texting And Driving: The Wade Jernigan Story (With Video)
May 24, 2012
It was a seemingly ordinary, but cool early December morning when Ken Jernigan said goodbye to his son, 16-year old Kenneth Wade Jernigan. They talked about their plans for the afternoon before Wade headed toward class at Northview High. They told each other other that they loved one another. Dad hung up the phone, thinking just how proud he was of his son.
A few moments later, he learned about the accident. Wade was northbound on Pine Barren Road north of Breastworks Road when he drifted off the roadway onto the shoulder as he attempted to travel around a curve. He over-corrected, lost control and struck a tree.
On the way to the accident, Ken and his wife where hoping and praying that Wade would be OK, and hoping for just a little fender bender.
It was much worse.
“My heart just dropped,” Ken said in a video entitled “The Cost of Distracted Driving” produced by Gulf Power (video below). The driver’s side of the truck was wrapped around an oak tree. Ken wanted to run up and help him like he’s always done before. Because that’s what daddies do.
“This time I couldn’t do that. I was pretty helpless.”
Ken watched as first responders used the Jaws of Life to remove Wade from the truck. Then he heard LifeFlight. He knew that wasn’t a good sign.
Wade was known for being a neat dresser. That December morning, he was wearing a white polo shirt.
“I didn’t see any blood anywhere,” Ken said. “I couldn’t see where he was hurt….I heard him gasp for breath…he’s alive.”
Wade had a severe head injury and was flown to Sacred Heart as Ken Jernigan drove to Pensacola. A few hours later, the news from the surgeon was a parent’s nightmare.
“Your son’s brain dead. There’s nothing they can do for him.”
The good memories flooded Ken’s mind. Baseball. Hunting. Fishing. All the fun times.
Wade had made a decision to be an organ donor. His organs saved six other lives.
It was after his funeral that Ken, as he searched for answers, discovered what he believes caused the accident.
Texting. He had left for school about 8:05 a.m. For the next 12 minutes, he texted back and forth with several friends.
“It was the only oak tree on that side of the road for a mile…he slid into it, right on the driver’s door.”
At 8:17 a.m., Wade sent his final text.
“It’s so important that we talk to our families, talk to our kids…to be more observant when driving,” Ken said. “None of us can drive and be distracted.”
Inset photos: NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
37 Responses to “Texting And Driving: The Wade Jernigan Story (With Video)”
I still cant believe you gone Wade. I’m sorry for yall lost. I remember playing baseball with you. I know you in a better place hope im gone see you one day. Fly high bro. So many people miss you and love you man you was one of coolest person knew. We miss you down here man.
wade, i miss you so much!!! and ken im so sorry for everything that has happened. you probably dont remember me but me and wade were in after-school daycare at bratt elementary together. he was like my big brother. i love him and miss him so much. p.s. im sorry i didnt say anything to him about txting and driving.
I am so sorry for your loss…I will pray that your family finds the strenght you need to keep his memory alive and to make it day by day. I just read the story and watched the video with my 10 yr old daughter and 9 yr old niece because they will be driving in the years to come and maybe they will keep this story and video of a saddened father in the back of their mind when the times come for them to drive. I also think this video should be shown in DMV’s across the U.S. before a permit and driver’s license is obtained therfore teenager’s can see first hand of the consequence of texting while driving.. Once again I am very sorry for your loss and maybe this have just saved someone’s life…
Ken, thank you so much for sharing Wade’s story. With all my losses, nothing compares to the loss of your son. I Needed to hear this, for me. You were right when you said… so many do it, but ashamed to admit it. God be with you. I know it must be hard, but thru Wade’s story-he is continuing to save lives. God bless y’all and again , Thank You.
This is the kind of story we need to hear. William please leave this on your site for all to read and learn from. Thank you Ken and Gulf Power for the best inspirational Safe Driving vedio i have ever seen! This is really unique.
I knew your son and i am so sorry for your loss . i know he will be missed by many and this tragedy may help others in many ways maybe his friends will understand the dangers of not giving whole attention to driving . connie hope you are ok i know how much you love that boy, ken i dont really know you but hope you are coping as well god bless you both
I am so sorry for your loss. We lost our son to a man who ran a red light. He was 17 when he passed. The accident was about five miles from our house as well and as we drove to the hospital to see my husband who was also injured I prayed my son was all right. As soon as I saw the vehicle I knew he was not. I knew it because my husband is a body tech and I knew how bad this accident really was by looking at the car. Your story is heartbreaking. I wish you healing and peace in dealing with the weeks and months ahead of you.
We know your hurt and pain Connie & Ken and yes, you are right… This is a bad dream that we can’t wake up from.
Gods strength as you go through these days, months and years without Wade. I know for a fact that you will continue to love and miss him and you will tell him out loud every day just how much you miss and love him dearly and how much you do want him back here.
All I can say is “Safe in His Arms”,
Sincere Blessings to you both,
Jeannie
Thank you Ken, for sharing Wade’s story with the public. God will sustain your family in this tragic loss and other parents may not have to face the same thing because of your sharing. We remember Wade at 5 or 6 at the restaurant in Davisville. He was so friendly, going from table to table talking to everyone. He was a very special little person . God’s blessings to all the family.
This story is so near to my heart! I lost my 23 year old niece in a car accident nearly three years ago! Because of a woman who was distracted by her cell phone! This woman was 52 years old, so you see it happens to everyone! Please everyone including myself, there is no message or phone call that can’t wait until you are stopped to answer! Our lifes were forever shattered that morning, please please dont text and drive or talk on your cell while driving!
Yhank you for your honesty in this video.Wade did not die in vain because his organs allowed 6 other people to live.Hopefully through this video message other lives will be saved when people realize the danger of texting while driving.
I cannot imagine the the loss of my son, I do not know what to say except God Bless and be with you.
Texting technology has proven to be a clear and present danger to the public safety. I feel that a device to block texting should be mandantory in all new vehicles
and cell phone mfgrs should ensure their products are aligned with such an effort.
I am so sorry for your loss of your son. Thank you for sharing your story about your precious son. What a wonderful thing he did when signing the donor card that saved the life’s six others. We don’t understand how we’ll go on without our loved ones when they pass away but through faith in God, and trust, we go on living. I lost a close cousin in a car accident years ago. He was 17 and coming home from a football game on a Friday night when he was hit head on by a drunk woman with her foot in a cast. Gordon was a sweet and loving young man and it seemed so unfair. I do hope the schools will show your story over and over. These young people need to know what can happen if they take their eyes off the road even for a split second. My son and his father are very close like you and your son and I am so grateful for that. May God help you and your family during this difficult time.
Ken, family and friends I am so sorry for your loss. It is an un-imagineable thing to loose a child. The video is a very touching video and I would suggest to who ever made it that they get it approved in the school system. This is something everyone needs to see and learn from. Lives are at stake and can be saved by just paying attention to what your doing when driving.
I almost got hit head on last year on vacation by a young lady texting. It does leave you with a fear when you see people looking down or on the phone while driving.
Once again I am sorry for your loss.
Jim
I miss you so much wade, theres not a day that goes by that we dont hink of you !! Your are hero, you saved so many lives ! We miss you and love you so much . Fly high buddy !
I am so sorry for your loss. Thank you for sharing this story and your son. This video shouldn’t be played at graduations, it should be played before a child turns 15 and is behind a wheel. Sometime they have to see to believe, and we certainly don’t want to wait until they are almost 18-19 years old. This needs to be played from the time they are about 14 and played every year to remind them, IT CAN HAPPEN TO YOU.
praying for comfort for you and your family, so very sorry of your loss. I know this was not an easy task but I do believe this video Will SAVE lives, it is so very important that Everyone possible be informed of the dangers of the detraction of texting and driving, God uses all of us and I know your son’s death will be used to educate his peers of the costly mistake of texting while driving as well as others. What a blessing your son was to so many people that would not otherwise be living but because of your son’s unselfishness, they got a second chance. Hold dear to your heart that finds an empty place for the moment that one fine day, you Will see him again, if you believe. God love you all and thanks for sharing your story.
Thank you so much for sharing. God bless you!
Thanks NorthEscambia for sharing this. It put tears in my eyes.. Im so sorry for your loss Mr. & Mrs. Jernigan… God Bless you… I am with jaydw8 they need to share this at every graduation before students are out of school. Because people do text while driving.. We have all done this.. Maybe you as a person, a parent will make that choice not to TEXT and DRIVE.. As you have seen from Mr. Jernigan’s video, it could happen to anyone…
This should be the only and hopefully last reason that texting while driving should carry severe penalties starting with the first offense. Alabamas new texting law is useless and they know it. Its a sad state that it has to be loss of life to get any kind of reaction from people on texting while driving. Although the good intentions by NE.com to bring this story to everyones attention, its not going to do anything to genuinely affect the public’s attitude about texting and driving. Wade’s parents are having to endure the loss of their son and thats a shame. I dont text and never will, there is not one thing thats so important to risk my ife or anyone else’s life over by being distracted by texting or talking on a cell phone while driving. And to the friends of Wade that were texted that fateful morning….are any of you still texting while driving?…think about it
William,
Thanks for sharing this story.Please send it to the Florida Legislators that atr contemplating a law against texting and driving. This story should be played at every graduation and assembly before school lets out for the summer. Thanks again William for sharing!
Iam so sorry for you and your family’s loss Ken! Thank you for sharing your story.. God used you and your heartache to Maybe help others…as I read this and watche your video with tears flowing down my face I thought to myself that I do this in front of my children on a regular basis… My girls tell me to put the phone down and I do til I’m alerted again… After watching your video it has impacted my decisions on texting again thank you so much for sharing this heartache with other viewers… Iam so sorry! You and your family are in my prayers
In times of such loss it is easy to become bitter to God and self. My prayer is that you take the time to sit with God and thank him for all he has given you and your family. Keep searching for strength and ask God to lift you, in time he will reveal to your family something that will remove the pain and bring about understanding. Jesus said it is easy to let go of faith in tough times, but in tough times is when you need him the most.
I will take a moment today to ask him to send relief and laughter into your hearts. May he bring you healing and understanding. Love him, open your hearts again and you will see clearly that Jesus has a plan for you.
God Bless
Ken my prayers go out to you and your family. I can’t imagine what you all feel day in and day out. I admire you for doing this for all the other kids out there that think they can conquer the highway. I hope and pray that all the kids out there listen to this and stop to think that this could have been them. May God bless you and your family!!
I am so proud of me ken an his words he is such a wonderful strong man I pray for him and his family everyday thank you so much for what you are doing for everyone around you you are saving life’s you are amazing and you have an amazing family we all love you and are here for you
Ken, thank you for sharing your story. Its amazing how God can use heart ache in our lives to bless others. We can only trust Him !! This has truly touched my heart today. God bless you and your family.
Paul Gillman
I am so sorry for your loss i only have one child and almost lost him in an accident thank and i thank god daily that he decided it was not his time to come home. I want to also thank you for the courage you have put forth to get the message out there about this we now have laws passed in alabama about it thanks to brave people like you sharing your personal tragedy. This will help in keeping our roads safer for everyone
I wonder how many more people need to die before texting is put on the same level as DUI? I lost a friend from a person talkin on a cellphone and not payin attention to their driving, yea, I’m tired of hearing about it..
Thanks for sharing this story! I know it was really hard for you to do but it is greatly appreciated. I will from this day forward help to prevent driving and texting. Hopefully this message will save even more lives from being taken due to texting and driving.
Ken I can’t say anything that will make the pain go away. God Bless you and your family. Praying for you all.
First let me say Thank You for this message. I hope that this message will get to many out there that do Text and Drive and they will see what can truly happen to them. I am sorry for your families loss of Wade, but am so glad that Wade’s organs were donated to help so many. Also, people need to realize that all distractions are dangerous when driving. Sunday morning I was going down Chumuckla Hwy just before Elizabeth Chapel Church and a lady was on her way to church, and several times she was driving in front of me. Several times she crossed way over the center line, and my first thought was she was probably texting and driving. She came very close twice to having a head on collision with other cars, and as I decided to pass her to get out of harms way, I saw that she was not texting, but putting on make up as she drove to church. If her beauty was so important, she was willing to die over it, or had she wrapped her car around another or like in Wade’s case around a tree, I’m sure then she would realize that putting on her make up was not that important. Please, please, please people. Don’t let others like Wade die in vain. Listen to the warnings, and see and feel this Fathers loss. DON’T TEXT or DO ANYTHING and DRIVE. Pay attention to what you are doing.
Thank you for sharing your Son’s Story. What a message of great love and loss! My prayers for you, your family & friends. Praying that all drivers everywhere will hear/read about being distracted while driving to choose to listen to your message.
So sorry for the loss of Wade, such a tragic end to a young life. I wish other teens and adults would take this seriously with texting and driving but they won’t, everyone thinks it won’t happen to them.
Thank you for your story..I am proud that you were able to share this with all the familes who have drivers period. This is something we all needed to hear and read..And take lesson to it. God Bless you and your family
Thanks for sharing this very important message and I’m very sorry for your loss.There is another such video on the internet titled “The last text” that was made after a loved one had an accident while texting. I encourage evryone to watch it.
Im so sorry for your loss. people please stop texting and driving. you think you may have complete control of your vehicle but you dont your mind is on your phone. please dont put your family or another family what this man has went though. As mr jernigan says in the video, weve all done it, but now is time to change. This is a tragedy that shouldnt have happened.
I love u and miss u so much!!! Fly high cuz!!