Just Like That...

November 10, 2006 Frank Bingham’s life was changed in an instant and forever. Frank and his wife, Becca, were crossing a downtown Denver street with their two young children, Macie and Garrison, when a drunk driver ran a red light, struck the family and fled the scene.

Becca, Macie and Garrison died at the scene; Frank was injured, but survived. God’s hand in this? The license plate fell off the death weapon that was the pick-up truck and police were able to trace it to the driver. His blood alcohol level was nearly twice the legal limit. He is awaiting trial now.

Frank Bingham granted his first interview with a local news reporter the other night and I sat in awe of him. He’s trying to find the good in the situation. He’s grateful for the time he had with his loving wife and his beautiful children. Of course he misses them desperately, but he is finding a way to get out of bed each day and honor their memories. He can’t let himself think about the senseless, violent way they died or about the man at whose hand they died. Not yet. But he is hoping that eventually – someday – he will be able to forgive. Because he knows that living a life of vengefulness and hate will only serve to destroy him.

Forgive? Wow. None of us knows what we would do should something as horrible as this happen to us. To quote James Arthur Ray: “Not forgiving is like drinking poison and hoping the other person will die.” True. But it certainly would be difficult to put into practice if you saw your whole life disappear before your eyes.

Frank went on to say that he has received so many kind letters and cards ~ people telling him how his tragic story has made them rethink their lives. Knowing that your life can change in a brief moment – and these things DO happen – makes us realize what is important, what we should pay attention to while we can. There are so many lessons in Frank’s story ~ his story is so heart-wrenching I cry every time I think about it. The lessons? Don’t drink and drive; hold your loved ones close while you can; don’t let those little things bug you; rejoice in every minute you have on this planet. Because you never know when a truck is going to come around the corner and change your life in an instant. Just like that…

Read Frank’s story in his own words
http://www.9news.com/rss/article.aspx?storyid=65120