She’s Using Her Tragedy To Try To Save Others

People say it all the time -- “Your life can change in a heartbeat.” And it’s true.

Credit: Facebook / Destiny Mantia

For Destiny Mantia, life was good. She was married to her high school sweetheart, Corey. They’d been blessed with a beautiful baby boy, Parker, who was 15 months old the day everything changed. Because, you see, when Destiny’s life took a sudden turn, sadly it was for the tragic.

In an instant, she went from being a loving wife and mother to being the sole survivor of a horrific car crash. It sounds like a movie scene or a horrible nightmare. But for Destiny, it’s the reality she must live with day to day.

Credit: Facebook / Destiny Mantia

Perhaps the biggest tragedy of all is what caused the terrible accident that claimed the lives of Destiny’s loved ones. It was all due to the poor decision of a complete stranger. That decision cost the stranger her own life and forever altered Destiny’s. And it could have all been avoided had that stranger never chosen to drink and drive.

And so, on the one year anniversary of the tragedy, Destiny wrote a heart-wrenching account of that fateful day. She never expected it to go viral, but it did. To date, her original post has been shared nearly 60,000 on Facebook. It carries an important message, and it’s our prayer that it will be one that helps to save lives and spare others of this kind of heartbreak.

Keep reading for an abbreviated version of Destiny’s emotional post. . .

Credit: Facebook / Destiny Mantia

A year ago today was like many other days. Corey Mantia woke up and went to work. Parker and I stayed at home and played together all day. Corey later came home played with our sweet baby as we waited to load up for a[n]...appointment.

Well, time comes for us to leave. Little did we know in a few short minutes everything would change. We would no longer get to live our future together. Any dreams we had would no longer happen together.

Credit: Facebook / Destiny Mantia

We wouldn't get to purchase our first house together, we wouldn't get to take Parker for his first haircut, his first day at school, and our family would never grow. This would be it. Everything we would have ever known would come to an end and not by choice.

Credit: Facebook / Destiny Mantia

On our way to this...appointment my amazing husband whom was driving, my precious baby whom I still nursed and kept rear facing watching Mickey Mouse Club house, and I were struck nearly head on at an excessive speed by a drunk driver.

This is a date and time that will forever be embedded in my head. The action of this one selfish person who thought they were "ok" to drive instantly took the life of my sweet innocent 15 month old son in the back seat.

Credit: Facebook / Destiny Mantia

She would cause my husband and I to be airlifted from the scene where my husband would lose his fight 24 hours later. She would cause a family to be devastated and emergency personnel to need counseling.

One selfish decision to drink and drive caused me to be a widow and a mom to an angel at the age of 21. She has caused many nightmares with the news of various reports being released such as an autopsy of my baby being sent to me or many reconstruction pictures. Many things a 21 year old should never have to see or imagine. She ended any dreams that we may have had together and caused pain I never knew existed.

Credit: Destiny Mantia via ABC News

That day the Destiny that was a mom and wife died as well. I've [since] had to find myself. I never knew the strength I could pull out that I never knew I had. I think I was able to find this strength through the prayers and support of many friends and family and also an amazing widows group who kept me knowing I was normal for feeling how I felt.

This hurt, pain and our future could [have] all been prevented if someone would have stepped up and stopped this selfish woman from drinking and driving. You can save someone's life too! Don't allow your friends and family drink and drive. Don't share DUI checkpoints. Be an advocate! Stand up with me! Let's stop this. One is too many. DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE!

Credit: Facebook / Destiny Mantia

Our hearts break for the pain Destiny has had to endure. Please lift her up in prayer. We pray her story will deter others from making the same mistake. And we ask that God will send her a peace that only He can provide in the midst of such sorrow.