Graduation Day and the Dangers of Drunk Driving

Introduction

• Presenter: Dan Rather
• Occasion: Discussing high school graduations, focusing on a group of friends whose graduation day became tragic.

Key Individuals

• Kelly Garner:
  • 17 years old.
  • Aspiring film production student at USC.
  • Enjoys making movies.
• Sophie Davis:
  • Kelly’s childhood friend.
  • Straight-A student, headed to Yale.
• Jake Matthews:
  • Sophie's boyfriend.
  • Class president.
  • Close friend of Kelly.
• Ben Chase:
  • Close friend.
  • Athlete, varsity football and baseball.

Graduation Day Events

• Morning of June 6th:
  • Kelly begins filming the day from morning to night.
  • Captures candid moments with friends and family.
• Graduation Ceremony:
  • Jake delivers a speech.
  • Ben heckles Jake playfully.
  • Everyone celebrates the end of high school.

Pre-party and Party

• Pre-party activities:
  • Kelly films interactions with family and friends.
  • Everyone is excited about the graduation party.
• Party Events:
  • High school party typical atmosphere: drinking and fun.
  • Kelly, Jake, Ben, and Sophie consume significant amounts of alcohol.
  • They participate in games like beer pong.

Post-party and the Accident

• Leaving the Party:
  • Decision for Jake to drive as he seemed least drunk.
  • Recorded intention to drive despite heavy drinking.
• Accident Details:
  • Jake's SUV ran a red light and collided with another car.
  • Sophie and Kelly suffered injuries.
  • Ben died in the hospital after never regaining consciousness.
  • Jake died on impact.

Aftermath and Reflection

• Sophie's Recollection:
  • Watches the footage for the first time.
  • Describes the accident from her perspective.
• Statistics on Drunk Driving:
  • Drunk driving is preventable, not an accident.
  • Over half a million alcohol-related car accidents in the U.S. annually.

Conclusion

• Message from Slay Garrison:
  • Personal story shared about the impact of drunk driving.
  • Urges awareness and precaution regarding driving under the influence.

Themes and Lessons

• Importance of making safe choices.
• The impact of alcohol on judgment and safety.
• Real-life consequences of drunk driving.
• Encouragement to avoid drinking and driving.