First off dogs, my apologies as I try not to rant on this forum, but this may turn into one.
Yesterday was my oldest daughters best friend's 22nd birthday.
Steve was the very first friend Angie made in grade 3 when we moved out here.
My two daughters and some of their friends took Steve out for his birthday.
They first went to our neighborhood pub were Steve got drunk.
Angie and her boyfriend wouldn't let Steve drive. Angie was the designated driver and took them all to one of their friends place.
My daughters truck was not running right while she was driving some of them home, so about 1:00 am her and her boyfriend came home to borrow my car, so that she could drive the rest home.
While they were here Steve and Kaleb left Becky's house, walked the 10 blocks or so back to the pub.
They then got into Steve's car, and 10 or 15 minutes later they were dead.

They sheared the car in two when they hit a power pole.
So this evening we sit here with my daughters and 8 of their friends sitting in our house in mourning.

My daughters boyfriend is feeling guilty, because he didn't take his keys away. I've tried telling him it is not his fault, he had pulled him out of the car earlier to take him to Becky's. I reminded him that Steve lived about 3 blocks from the pub where his car was, and that the last time he took Steve's keys away, we walked home and grabbed his spare set.

My youngest daughter and Becky are feeling guilty because they couldn't stop Steve and Kaleb from leaving. I keep telling them it isn't their fault, they were adults and made their choice. I tell them that at least they were able to convince Steve's girlfriend not to go with them.

The lives of two gentle young men ended needlessly and senselessly
Hug your loved ones extra close for me tonight

The senseless things in life are the most disturbing. I am truely sorry for your loss and the burden placed on your daughter and her friends. We will keep you all in our prayers. This is not an easy time but being with them is the best thing you can do.

Dan

Its always sad to hear things like this, Ill keep all of you in my prayers.

I am very sorry to hear about this tragedy Bill.
Your family and the boys families and friends will be in my prayers.

Bill, I'll keep all of you in my prayers. Life is short, but it's tragic when it's cut even shorter like this. I'll be thinking of all of you.

oh man.
Bill,I'm sorry you and yours have to face this.
that young fella chose the wrong path,and now leaves behind loved ones who blame themselves...
That is the most brutal part of this,
and the part that makes me the angriest with drunk drivers.
You have my contact info if you want someone to talk with brother.

Bill: You also have my prayers for you and yours and the friends. THEY DID ALL THEY COULD! When you try to FORCE someone of an adult age to do something they do not want to do, they MAY listen, but as in this case, the WILL do what they want when they get the chance.

I hope the young folks can quickly realize this and accept this as a tragedy that they did everything to prevent.

What a tragedy. Stay strong for your daughters, Bill.

Man it is so tragic when young lives are taken in such a senseless way.When I was in the marines we lost 2 promising young lance corporals that worked in my shop the same way,but the dirt bag driver lived.They hit a bridge abutment & the car was ripped in two.
We lost 3 marines,2 dead,1 in jail because of alcohol.I hate the stuff!
My thoughts are with yours & the young mens families.

Thank you all

So sorry coyotebc, sounds like they had all been trying to do the right thing to manage a safe night. I figure it's going to be a long, hard, intense few weeks of woulda/coulda/shoulda's...

Best I can say is they don't have to try and figure this out/go through this alone...nothing wrong with getting some support from folks who deal with tragic events like this on a regular basis...they can help them through it and make some sense of this disaster...

Many thought and prayers to you and yours...

That is very, very sad! I am very sorry you guys are going through this! You will all be in my thoughts and prayers!