William H. Badger. Feb 4, 1929 – December 23, 2004.
Eighteen years without you is a long time. And no time.
You should have had more time.
Sometimes it feels like we’ve made no progress at all. And sometimes I know we’ve at least stopped some of the unsafe propositions, maybe even made a few inroads toward safety.
Still.
You should have had more time, and we can’t fix that for you or any of the thousands of families trying to move forward with their own grief. Their own new normal. I hate that term.
Eighteen years ago this morning. Last night, laying sleeplessly in bed, I imagined you getting up so very early in the dark morning, making sure the heat was turned down, the water turned off, and the doors locked, putting your suitcase into the trunk of your car and heading toward the airport.
You never got there. You never got to come home.
It’s not right, not for you or for us. Not for the 5,000 plus families that faced similar facts in 2021, or the as yet unnumbered thousands from 2022. And the hundreds of thousands of injured every single year.
We have to keep working, even though we’re all tired.
Because you all should have had more time.
Change Is Hard 
December 23, 2022 at 10:55 am
There will never be enough words for this –
But we are all pretty sure he’s supporting you from The Human Rainbow Bridge with NAK nosing him on –
And you are making them proud
Willow and Phyll
LikeLike
December 23, 2022 at 12:36 pm
A sad anniversary… Nobody has enough time, but it shouldn’t have to end like that. Keep fighting that good fight and lets hope those yearly numbers dwindle.
LikeLike
December 23, 2022 at 1:56 pm
Heart-breaking, Dawn. I know you miss him and wish you’d had more time together. What an awful thing to have happen (especially at the holidays and especially how it didn’t have to happen). Hugs~
LikeLike
December 23, 2022 at 5:55 pm
I wish you had had him for much longer. Life is unfair.
I went on the truck safety coalition website to make a donation last month. I clicked on “our stories”. I looked at the many, many faces of all ages, races and gender. I read their names. It was heartbreaking to see so many, and I know that there are many more victims.
I also want to say that I really appreciated the personal phone call and thank you note from the organization in response to my small donation. ❤
LikeLike
December 23, 2022 at 6:27 pm
Thank you so much for the donation, Sara. I will relay your appreciation for their effort to say thanks. I appreciate them too.
LikeLike
December 23, 2022 at 8:24 pm
There is never enough time with those we love, and it’s hard for us to think of all the events we’ve experienced without them that they would have loved. Hugs!
LikeLike
December 23, 2022 at 9:56 pm
Losing a parent is hard. Losing one because [stupidity] is even harder.
Hugs again. Thanks again for trying to reduce the stupidity..
LikeLike
December 23, 2022 at 10:48 pm
Sending you hugs, Dawn. I know your Dad is watching over you and is proud of the tireless work that you do to make a difference.
LikeLike
December 24, 2022 at 1:30 pm
Well put dear sister. Hugs to you.
LikeLike
December 24, 2022 at 10:57 pm
Amen to everything you and everyone has said. Love is so precious. May love always be the most important things.
LikeLike
December 25, 2022 at 3:46 pm
I always think of you and your father and the changes you have brought about when I see an 18 wheeler flying down the highway. ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
December 25, 2022 at 3:52 pm
Thank you. It’s good to know people think of him and our mission. Sometimes we feel very alone.
LikeLike