rebeljen's Journal

My Victim's Impact Statement for Court:

VICTIM'S IMPACT STATEMENT :

The death of my husband has caused myself and my family great hardship and pain. As a result of the accident I suffered displacement in my right shoulder, severe bruising and physical pain, and emotional problems, all of which have required medical treatment, physical therapy, and professional couseling which will continue for a long time. I also suffer from anxiety and panic attacks which also require medication. I do not sleep much, have problems working like I did before the accident, and quite often I find myself disoriented by my surroundings.

I am now left to raise 4 children, ages 15, 14, 10, and 8 without their fathers love and support. They are all at difficult stages in their lives where they need their father. My girls have lost their sense of security. My 8 year old daughter keeps tabs on me and is afraid she's going to lose me next. And she doesn't have her dad to read her silly stories, tickle her and tuck her into bed at night. My 14 year old daughter doesn't have her dad to hang out with, listen to rock music with and confide in when she's feeling unsure of who she is. My 15 year old son has lost his father who was supposed to be here to role model how to grow to be a responsible, confident and caring young man. And my 10 year old son lost his dad who was supposed to teach him how to swim this summer and teach him how to do things.

My husband, my kids and I were very involved in church activities which at this time am currently unable to do because of the emotional impact it has on me. My children have lost their christian connections and the spiritual leader of our home. They all looked up to their dad and have had to suffer the pain of his loss in their lives. I have lost a large part of my own identity due to this crime against myself, my husband and kids. After being married to 1 man for 15 1/2 years it is hard to separate from who you were together because being together is all we ever really knew. I also have an 18 year old step-son whom I just located in September, who was separated from his father 16 years ago who now looks to me for emotional support. He will never know the joy of being around his father at all and will never get to seek his advice on being a man, and on becoming a father himself in March. I also have a 16 year old step son who had some visitation with his father who will simply never get to see his father again.

We have all suffered great hardship because of this man's poor choices, bad decisions and lack of respect for the law and the safety of others. We have had to adopt a new policy in our lives of taking one day at a time, one step at a time and sometimes simply one moment at a time to get through each and every day. It's not fair to any of us, and it is not right that my husband lost his life when he was the innocent bystander and was not breaking the law or doing anything wrong. He was a caring and loving person who had a long life ahead of him and who did not deserve his life to be taken at such a young age.

With all that being said, I am not angry at this man who hit us. I will not allow myself to be bitter against him or his family for his poor judgement and wrong actions. No one understands why I am not bursting with anger towards him but I am not. However, I do not agree with his actions, his disrepect of the law and lack of concern for other people's safety. He is a young man who made a bad choice. He chose to drunk and drive. He chose to break the law and he ended my husband's life. For that, I expect him to pay the price for his crimes against me and against my family. Like I tell my kids, we all make our own choices and must face the consequences for our actions. All I am asking this court to do today is to impose the maximum sentence against him that suits the crime committed against me and my family, taking into consideration that our road to recovery is going to be a very long one but one that we will get through eventually.