As hard as reporters work to dig up interesting stories, sometimes the most compelling articles in any newspaper start with a courageous source who initiates the contact.
That was the case with the centerpiece story in the Sunday, June 29 edition of The Citizen, which featured the struggles Auburn resident Hailey Rice has faced in the past year overcoming injuries from a motorcycle accident.
There's no question Hailey, who was riding as a passenger on the motorcycle, was the victim of a reckless driver. Police reports indicate the driver was going 97 mph on a Sennett road on that June 2007 day that changed Hailey's life forever. She fell off the motorcycle and was sent sliding 234 feet down a paved road.
But Hailey approached the newspaper a year after the accident not because she wanted to place blame on the driver. Those facts speak for themselves.
Her motive was remarkably noble. She wanted to tell people about the mistakes she felt she made that day, with the hope that her story would convince someone else to be smarter.
Some readers questioned why the story did not go into more detail about who the driver was or what happened to him legally. But this wasn't a standard accident report story. This article's purpose was to show the impact an accident had on one person more than a year later.
Sharing her story with the world could not have been easy for Hailey. She was quick to acknowledge her own responsibility because she was not wearing proper attire for riding on a motorcycle. She was wearing a helmet, but failed to properly cover her body for motorcycle riding. The fact that she was wearing flip flops, a tank top and shorts contributed greatly to the skin injuries she suffered.
But Hailey did not shy away from admitting her mistakes.
“I will always have the scars,” Hailey said. “I will be an old lady someday and I will look and see my scars and think, 'If only I had worn the right gear.'”
Hailey was forthcoming about the personal struggles she's since encountered as a result, including the physical and psychological scars that continue to challenge her.
As hard as it was to tell her story, Hailey should be proud because she's made a difference. Just from the posts that were made about the story online and in letters to the editor, it's clear she has succeeded in generating discussion and raising awareness.
Executive editor Jeremy Boyer's columns appear Saturdays in The Citizen and he can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 231 or Jeremy.boyer@lee.net
There's no question Hailey, who was riding as a passenger on the motorcycle, was the victim of a reckless driver. Police reports indicate the driver was going 97 mph on a Sennett road on that June 2007 day that changed Hailey's life forever. She fell off the motorcycle and was sent sliding 234 feet down a paved road.
But Hailey approached the newspaper a year after the accident not because she wanted to place blame on the driver. Those facts speak for themselves.
Her motive was remarkably noble. She wanted to tell people about the mistakes she felt she made that day, with the hope that her story would convince someone else to be smarter.
Some readers questioned why the story did not go into more detail about who the driver was or what happened to him legally. But this wasn't a standard accident report story. This article's purpose was to show the impact an accident had on one person more than a year later.
Sharing her story with the world could not have been easy for Hailey. She was quick to acknowledge her own responsibility because she was not wearing proper attire for riding on a motorcycle. She was wearing a helmet, but failed to properly cover her body for motorcycle riding. The fact that she was wearing flip flops, a tank top and shorts contributed greatly to the skin injuries she suffered.
But Hailey did not shy away from admitting her mistakes.
“I will always have the scars,” Hailey said. “I will be an old lady someday and I will look and see my scars and think, 'If only I had worn the right gear.'”
Hailey was forthcoming about the personal struggles she's since encountered as a result, including the physical and psychological scars that continue to challenge her.
As hard as it was to tell her story, Hailey should be proud because she's made a difference. Just from the posts that were made about the story online and in letters to the editor, it's clear she has succeeded in generating discussion and raising awareness.
Executive editor Jeremy Boyer's columns appear Saturdays in The Citizen and he can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 231 or Jeremy.boyer@lee.net
