OCTOBER 30, 2003

"There are always prices to pay for the decisions we make. Sometimes those prices are cheap and sometimes those prices are very costly. I am here today because of a decision that was very costly.

I want to start by telling you I have never given a speech before and I never dreamed I would be standing here before you giving a speech due to the death of one of my children....but I am. If I mess up or break down just bare with me because I am determined to do this for...and in memory of my son, Cory Dale Otwell.

I lost Cory in a car wreck on June 7th, 2003 just nine days before his 17th birthday.  The cause.....drinking and driving. Cory was not driving on that fateful morning, but his friend was and both had been drinking. Two very precious lives were ruined that morning, one life taken away forever by death, the other having to live out the rest of his life with the guilt, embarrassment, and shame of killing a friend and possible facing a jail sentence. Either way the carefree life they once knew is now gone forever by the decision to drink and drive.

For those of you that didn't know Cory, let me give you a picture of what kind of person he was. He was always happy.......he always had a smile on his face....and if I know my son he probably left here with that same beautiful smile.

Cory was a very loving person and he wasn't ashamed to tell you or let you see his love. He couldn't stand to see anyone hurting or sad, if you were, he was going to do something to make you smile. At home he was always laughing, joking around or wrestling with whoever was there, family or friends. We have been told by teachers and students that he was the same way at school.

OUR SON LIVED AND LOVED LIFE TO THE FULLEST EACH AND EVERYDAY.

Cory loved his family and friends more than his own life. And believe me, we loved that child more than anything in this world and we miss him every single minute of the day. Cory was a brother, an uncle, a grandson, a student, a ballplayer.....and a very close friend to many of you...........but not any more.

Our family has been changed forever by the decision to drink and drive and our family will never be complete again because that one special person in our lives will forever be missing because of alcohol. Cory won't be with us at any more holidays, family gatherings.........he won't be at any more of your proms, or any more school functions, and he won't be living out his dream of playing major league baseball and we, his family, will never see him play another inning of baseball again.

Ever since Cory's accident, alot of you have come to see us, all of us crying on each other's  shoulders, all of us trying to help each other deal with his death. There is one statement that each and every one of you has said to us that stands out in our minds: You have all said...."Mrs. Karen we never thought Cory would be the one to go."  That statement should tell you something.......If it happened to Cory, it could happen to you. You could be the next one to go or you could be the one having to live with the guilt of taking another person's life. Cory would want you to learn from his mistake.

Alcohol is the leading cause of death among young people today, and we, Cory's family, are begging you to please..............DO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE........... AND DO NOT LET A FRIEND DRINK AND DRIVE. Take the keys or do whatever it takes to put a stop to drinking and driving and when you do that, be proud of yourselves and the fact that you could have possibly just saved one or more lives.

Please do it for yourselves..............your friends.............your family and in memory of Cory ".