|
|
|
R E S O L U T I O N
|
|
WHEREAS, Sean Carter of Winnsboro has faced extraordinary |
|
challenges since being injured in an automobile accident in 2005, |
|
and through his work as founder of WhenSeanSpeaks, Inc., he has |
|
transformed his personal tragedy into a campaign to save lives; and |
|
WHEREAS, At the time the incident occurred, Sean Carter was a |
|
22-year-old college student with plans to pursue a bachelor's |
|
degree in business administration and go to law school; on the |
|
evening of March 26, 2005, he was headed home with friends after |
|
visiting a few bars when the driver lost control of the vehicle and |
|
crashed; and |
|
WHEREAS, In addition to the multiple fractures and internal |
|
injuries he suffered, Mr. Carter was diagnosed with a severe |
|
diffuse axonal injury, a type of brain trauma; after emerging from a |
|
coma that lasted 39 days, he found he was unable to speak or walk, |
|
and his mother, Jenny Carter, had to assume guardianship of him; and |
|
WHEREAS, Refusing to abandon hope under these dire |
|
circumstances, Mr. Carter began using a tablet computer with "type |
|
to speech" software in an effort to reclaim his autonomy; he went on |
|
to embrace a new sense of purpose as well when he began sharing his |
|
story with others in 2007, as a participant in a Mothers Against |
|
Drunk Driving Victim Impact Panel in Dallas; three years later, he |
|
founded the nonprofit organization WhenSeanSpeaks; and |
|
WHEREAS, Since that time, Mr. Carter and his mother have |
|
taken their message to tens of thousands of young people across the |
|
nation; with funding from the Texas Department of Transportation, |
|
they partnered with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service to |
|
deliver presentations at 15 venues in 2013 and at 50 venues in 2014; |
|
and |
|
WHEREAS, WhenSeanSpeaks is dedicated to educating youth on |
|
the devastating toll of drinking and driving, emphasizing that it |
|
is equally important, as a passenger, to be mindful of the condition |
|
of the driver of the vehicle; the organization is also dedicated to |
|
improving the lives of people affected by traumatic brain injuries |
|
through public awareness and research and to increasing the |
|
availability of exercise facilities that are equipped to serve |
|
persons with mobility needs; and |
|
WHEREAS, Throughout his ordeal, Mr. Carter has benefited |
|
greatly from the support of his mother, his brothers, Todd and Ben, |
|
and his father, Danny Carter, who passed away in 2012; Sean reached |
|
a major milestone in 2013, when his recovery was deemed sufficient |
|
to have his guardianship dismissed, and he continues to make |
|
important strides toward complete independence; and |
|
WHEREAS, Although Sean Carter's fight is not yet over, he has |
|
made an inspiring contribution to the world through his example of |
|
resilience and perseverance, his determination to assist others who |
|
are enduring similar struggles, and his commitment to focus |
|
attention on the dangers of drunk driving; now, therefore, be it |
|
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
|
Legislature hereby commend Sean Carter for all that he has achieved |
|
in his work with WhenSeanSpeaks, Inc., and extend to him sincere |
|
best wishes for the future; and, be it further |
|
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
|
prepared for Mr. Carter as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
|
House of Representatives. |