A heartbreaking video has sparked an outpouring of support for a woman who lost three of her children after a drunk driver three times over the limit killed them in a wrong-way crash.
Lindy Ray, 20, Christopher, 17, and Kamryn Simmons, 15, were killed when John Lundy, 54, hit their family’s pickup truck head-on while driving the wrong way on the interstate in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, days before Christmas 2021. .
In the video posted to Instagram, the trio’s sister, Katie DeRouen, 31, one of nine children, shows the stark contrast of life before the fatal accident and the darkness that followed afterward.
“When your life turns out so different than you ever imagined,” Katie captioned the short film. ‘See how a drunk driver changed our lives in an instant.’
Siblings Lindy, 20, Christopher, 17, and Kamryn Simmons, 15, were killed by a drunk driver in December 2021.
In a video posted on Instagram, life before and after the terrible accident is shown in stark contrast.
The clip begins with snippets of the carefree nature of everyday life: his mother playing catch with her son in the driveway; family posing for selfies and chatting on camera; and carry out errands such as going to the supermarket to buy food.
In other sections of the clip, the teens are seen playing in front of the camera, making funny comments and silly gestures.
Suddenly, images of the accident are shown with emergency vehicles spaced along Louisiana’s I-49 interstate.
The video then cuts to the triple funeral with the three children’s coffins side by side, followed by horrific images of the accident in which their vehicle was practically destroyed.
The first part of the video shows the family members having fun with carefree days.
His mother Dawn, who survived the crash, is seen kneeling before memorials erected next to the interstate, sobbing in the front seat of a car at the cemetery.
The video continues to see her cleaning the triple grave, hugging the headstones as grief takes over.
It’s clear that no matter how much time passes after the accident, the pain is still raw, but the family is determined to preserve their memories.
In the moving video, other brothers are seen helping to maintain the tomb, polishing the stones and keeping the area clean.
The video ends with both parents standing at the foot of their children’s graves, in a moving shot.
The accident occurred in the southbound lanes of I-49. The drunk driver also died on impact
The shocking images of the minivan in which the family was traveling show the severity of the head-on collision.
Parents Ray and Dawn Simmons are seen tending the graves of their three children.
Katie, who has posted several videos on social media that have shown her family’s grieving process, hopes the videos will help raise awareness about how drunk driving can destroy people’s lives in a moment.
Some of the featured images were found on the phone of his late sister Lindy, who was a budding photography student.
In recent weeks, Dawn returned to Kamryn’s high school and was seen posing with a bouquet of flowers in her memory.
‘I wonder where we would have gone on your senior trip.’ Katie reflects.
A week earlier, the family celebrated what would have been Kamryn’s graduation from Arcadiana Christian School in New Iberia, Louisiana.
A photo posted to Instagram shows Kamryn’s grave adorned with vases filled with flowers, a mortarboard like the one worn by graduates along with honorary diplomas presented posthumously by the school.
Family members work hard to maintain the grave, often sweeping it and cleaning its surroundings.
The parents share a tender moment when they are left alone with their thoughts at the graveside.
Her older sister, Lindy, was driving the family car when they were hit head-on by the truck’s driver, Lundy. Both died on impact.
Dawn suffered a hemorrhaged spleen, a punctured lung, and two broken ankles. She also had a lacerated carotid artery.
DUI driver John Lundy’s alcohol level was nearly three times the legal limit for driving.
In Louisiana, drivers are considered legally drunk when their blood alcohol level is high. 08 or higher, but Lundy’s blood alcohol level at the time of the accident was 0.22.
He had been driving his 2005 Chevrolet Colorado pickup truck north in the southbound lanes of I-49. He also died from the impact.
The family celebrated what would have been Kamryn’s graduation from Arcadiana Christian School in New Iberia, Louisiana, with an honorary degree presented posthumously.
Sister, Katie Joy DeRouen, has continued to share updates on how the family is dealing with their grief following the 2021 deaths.
Since the tragic accident, Dawn has been attending high schools to talk to children about the dangers of driving under the influence.
The family’s nonprofit, Simmons 3, aims to raise awareness about the issue.
TO GoFundMe created since the accident has managed to raise $800,000 for the family.