All too often we hear about people being killed or hurt by drunk drivers, but most of time we aren't able to put a face with those statistics. Now we will.
You're about to meet a man and his family, whose lives have forever changed because of another man's decision to drive drunk.
News Specialist Jill Atwood brings us the other side of dui, a side you've rarely seen before, but one you're sure to remember.
The typical morning rush at the Richardson household.
Rosalyn Richardson will run circles around anyone at 7:00 a.m., planning a day for five kids, and a husband who now needs as much help as his youngest child.
"YOU'RE GOING DOWN TO THE HORIZONTE CENTER. YOUR MOM WILL TAKE YOU DOWN THERE, OKAY?"
At first glance, Todd Richardson appears completely normal.
But look a little closer and you'll realize something's not quite right.
"HE WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT AND SOMEONE HIT HIM FROM BEHIND."
June 28th, 1998--A day forever branded in this family's history. It's the day Todd's world would turn upside down.
"IT HIT HIM SO HARD THAT HIS HELMET FLEW OFF AND HIS HEAD SMASHED AGAINST THE HOOD OF THE TRUCK."
Hit by a drunk driver, Todd lay in a coma for four weeks.
"I REMEMBER THINKING 'HE'LL BE OKAY. HE'S TOUGH, HE'LL BE OKAY.'"
But Todd was far from okay. The blow to his head caused severe brain damage, and today he has permanent short term memory loss.
"HE CAN'T DRIVE. HE CAN'T FIND HIS WAY HOME FROM THE SCHOOL NEXT DOOR TO OUR HOUSE, BECAUSE HE CAN'T REMEMBER HOW TO GET BACK HOME."
Todd's accident cost him a brilliant law career, and now, it's costing him the house he built himself, for his family.
Jill Richardson/Todd's 12 Year Old Daughter: "IT'S REALLY HARD TO KNOW THAT AFTER ALL THAT HE HAD--HE WAS A GOOD LAWYER, HE BUILT THIS HOUSE--NOW WE'RE SELLING THE HOUSE AND HE CAN'T BE A LAWYER ANYMORE, AND MY MOM HAS TO GO TO WORK.IT'S A LOT DIFFERENT."
It's also cost him his self respect.
Todd Richardson: "I LOVE YOU...I LOVE YOU. WISH I WERE A BETTER MAN FOR YOU."
"I USED TO BE A MAN WITH SELF CONFIDENCE TO THE MOON. NOW I HAVE NONE, NOW. AND IT'S JUST SO MUCH HARDER FOR ME TO GET BY. EVERYTHING IS A CHALLENGE FOR ME AND I CAN'T TAKE CARE OF MY FAMILY."
Todd lost a lot in the accident, but he kept a lot, too. He says attitude is one thing in life he still has control over.
Marilyn Richardson/Todd's Mother: "HE'S GOT A WONDERFUL SENSE OF HUMOR. WE LAUGH A LOT. HE MAKES UP JOKES. HE'S REALLY FUNNY."
Determined to be useful, Todd volunteers at the Horizonte Center five days a week.
He still speaks fluent Spanish, but at times has trouble finding the stairs in his own home.
"IF THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT SOMETHING IN ENGLISH, HE CAN EXPLAIN IT TO THEM IN SPANISH. AND OF COURSE HE STILL HAS A LOT OF HIS MATH ABILITIES, SO HE CAN HELP THEM WITH THEIR ALGEBRA."
He uses the talents his accident didn't take away to tutor hispanic teens.
Todd Richardson: "STILL HAVE A LIFE TO LIVE. I CAN STILL DO THINGS IN MY LIFE. THE DAY WILL COME WHEN I TAKE CARE OF MY FAMILY AGAIN LIKE I DID."
"SHH...TIME FOR PRAYER. PLEASE BLESS WE'LL GET A GOOD NIGHT SLEEP. PLEASE BLESS THAT MY DAD WILL GET BETTER."
As you've seen here the last couple nights, the impact of DUI goes far beyond the seconds before and after impact. The emotional impact can last a lifetime.
The person who hit Todd lives right around the corner. He had been stopped for drunk driving before, and did serve six months in jail. He has since apologized to Todd and his family.
In the meantime, Todd continues to amaze his doctors with his constant improvement and has the admiration of all who come in contact with him.
