How sad! Not Everyone That Gets Hit By a Drunk Driver Dies!

This incident occurred way back in 1999, but we decided to publish it to send a message out there that please don’t drink and drive, it can destroy lives. Go ahead and read the story of Jacqueline.

20-year-old Jacqueline,called her dad from Austin. She wanted to go to a birthday party that Saturday night outside the city on Lake Travis. The birthday boy, who was Venezuelan, would pick her up.

September 19, 1999 – Jacqueline enjoyed the party with her friends and they were on their way back home.

Reggie Stephey, an 18-year-old star football player, was on his way home from drinking beer with some buddies. Being under the influence of alcohol he crashed into the car Jacqueline and her friends were in.


Within minutes, the car caught fire. Jacquelin was pinned in the front seat on the passenger side. She was burned over 60% of her body.

Broken glass covered the road. In the front seat, Jacquelin struggled to free herself. She was pinned between the dashboard and the seat. Flames from the engine were starting to creep toward her face.




A firefighter held her hand, where the skin hung loose, sliding off. Jacqueline, they (firefighters) agreed, burned intensely for about 45 seconds.


By December 1999, three months after the accident,Jacquelin was still drugged and blind and had only a loose grasp on reality. She had little control of her body, either.


Her body was numb, Her hands hurt everyday, She needed constant support, from her father Amadeo and others, and often was despondent. ‘One week, she cried every day,’ Amadeo said.


n June 2001 Reggie Stephey was convicted of two counts of intoxication manslaughter for the deaths of Jacqui’s two friends. He was sentenced to seven years in prison and fined $20,000. He was released in 2008.

Jacqueline told Reggie how her life had changed. “I don’t hate you,” she remembers saying, “but you need to understand that you committed a grave mistake.” The room was silent.”I forgive you,” she said.
Saburido appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show on November 17, 2003. She was also interviewed on the Australian 60 Minutes on March 14, 2004 and was featured in a Discovery Health documentary on face transplants. She continues to educate people on drunk driving. We request you to please don’t drink and drive! Drive Safe!! Culled from Eyepopping