LEXINGTON, S.C. — Faces and names adorned the walls inside the Palmetto Collegiate Institute on Saturday, each representing a hole left in the lives of countless mothers - each death a tragedy that was preventable and, yet, still all too common in South Carolina.
“These are my guys - my daughter’s husband and his two sons from his first marriage and my grandson," Patricia Voelker said as she pointed out her loved ones on the wall.
She added that each person on the wall has a story, including her grandson - all with similar endings.
“They were all killed the day after he turned 19,” Voelker said.
In an effort to spread awareness this time of year, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) hosts an annual vigil. The event also helps by continuing to tell the stories of those lost to drunk driving crashes.
It's a bond that many there, like Mary Parks, share.
“I am a mother against drunk driving. My son was killed at the hands of an underaged drunk driver," she said.
According to MADD, this is a small representation of an unfortunate statistic in South Carolina.
“We are traditionally one of the worst states in the nation for drunk driving and that’s virtually every year. We have the 10th most drunk driving fatalities, while we’re 23rd in population," Steven Burritt said.
And a recent study from Forbes ranked South Carolina as the seventh worst for drunk driving.
The annual vigil and its organizers are working to change those numbers and raise awareness while also helping families through one of the toughest times of the year.
“Yeah, they’re the reason I’m here. That was in 2010 but, as I say, it was 12 years ago yesterday," Voelker said. "It’s always yesterday.”
They're hoping to bring healing to a story that otherwise brings pain.
“It took about 2 or 3 years before I could actually speak his story and tell his story," Parks added.
But it's also a time for them to think about what could have been while trying to prevent anyone else from having to endure what they have.
“I can’t celebrate his wedding. I didn’t get great-grandchildren from him. I couldn’t say he was a lawyer, or doctor or accountant or what,” Voelker said.
South Carolina State Troopers are asking the public to be careful on the roads this holiday season.
"If you've had too much to drink just come up with a plan, don't put the keys in the ignition don't turn them don't drive call a friend just do something else," Lance Corporal Tyler Tidwell said.