I met a new friend this year her name is Beatrice Serewicz -Homes. We met at an infant swim class with our daughters, later to find out that we lived a mile from each other. We have become close over the last year and when she told me her brother was killed in a horrific drunk driving acident on July 17th 2010 I remembered watching the story on the news and feeling for the family even though I had no idea his sister lived so close to us.
The other driver was drunk and traveling in the wrong direction on I-90 in Worcester, MA. This drunk driver struck Thomas Serewicz vehicle, head on, killing Tommy and his friend that was a passenger in the vehicle. Thomas was 24, he was married with 2 small boys. Tom’s two sisters, his wife and children, his Mother, and his friends were devastated. My friend Bea was 9 month pregnant at the time and gave birth to her daughter 2 weeks later.
Here is an excerpt from a note written by Tom’s Mother Lynn Serewicz:
Altering your mind, is altering your mind. Drugs, alcohol, sleep deprivation…. kills! And for some who say I’ll take my chances it’s my life… NO IT ISN’T!! not when innocent people die! and little boys are left without their daddy!!! Have you ever heard or said yourself, I don’t even remember how I got home last night.. I’ve heard people say things like “there’s a dent in my car, I don’t know what happened”, or, I banged up my knee and I don’t know how I did it..” all this after a night of drinking… ever wonder how many accidents they may have caused without ever knowing it? Maybe in the paper that next day was a story of a car that went off the road…. and people killed… maybe the one who doesn’t
know how they got home, drove that car off the road!! how would they ever know???? Or a victim of a hit and run.. could THAT be how your car got dented???
This mom sureis MADD, but most of all, wants others to know Tom was here, he was/is important to this world. but is gone now because someone decided this was how she wanted to live her life. Imagine how her family must feel? the devastation from this one act is endless.
PLEASE, think before you drink/drug. (she was highly intoxicated and drugged).
Thank you all for reading. I’m so sorry it’s sad. I’m so sorry we live in a world where this kind of thing can happen.
God Bless us all!
Lynne
Last week the family held a 1 Year memorial for Tommy at the Stone Church in West Boylston, MA. They chose the location because it was Tom’s favorite fishing place. They had prayer, memories, released red balloons (for MADD) with red ribbons tied to them with messages from the hearts of family and friends written on them. They sang by the water’s edge, Amazing Grace. Tom’s Mother Lynn and family were deeply touched by the presence of many friends and love ones and their gift of love and remembrance of Tommy. Later, they shared food, laughter, tears, and stories of Tom, his antics, his love.
I am telling this from a third person perspective because that is all I can do, I have a hard time imagining what it would be like to lose a loved one to such a tragic accident that is 100% preventable. Tom also did not have a Life Insurance policy. While Life Insurance cannot begin to make up for the loss of a love one, it can make the lives of those left behind a little more manageable. At Downey Insurance we support making your car a “No Phone Zone” to prevent Texting While Driving this may not be as much of a no-brainer as not driving drunk but it is just as important. So PLEASE do not drive drunk, and PLEASE don’t allow someone else to drive drunk whose judgment may be impaired. Your car will not feel abandoned if you leave it behind but I guarantee your family will if you drive drunk.
Cate Downey Potenza
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