Parents of a college student who died in a car accident while sending a text are now sharing that final message in hopes to stopping others from dying similar crashes.
Alexander Heit, 22, died shortly after the April 3 crash, but his parents and police are hoping the photo of the mundane text on his iPhone will serve as a stark reminder to drivers.
His final text cut off in mid-sentence, because he drifted into oncoming traffic before he could send it.
The University of Northern Colorado student jerked the steering wheel and went off the road, rolling his car.
The photo, published Wednesday in The Greeley Tribune, shows Heit was responding to a friend by typing 'Sounds good my man, seeya soon, ill tw' before he crashed.
Witnesses told police that Heit appeared to have his head down when he began drifting into the oncoming lane in the outskirts of Greeley, where the University of Northern Colorado is located.
According to police, an oncoming driver slowed and moved over just before Heit looked up and jerked the steering wheel.
'Unfortunately, when we think to ourselves, ‘I’ll just do it this one time,’ we are fooling ourselves,' police chief Jerry Garner said.
'This ‘one time’ may be the only time. The Heits are sharing their tragedy and loss, in hope that through Alex’s story, others may realize and recognize just how dangerous texting and driving is. If this tragic, senseless accident can be a learning experience for others, perhaps others will be saved.'
Police say Heit, a Colorado native who loved hiking and snowboarding, had a spotless driving record and wasn't speeding.
In a statement released through police, Heit's mother said she doesn't want anyone else to lose someone to texting while driving.
'I can’t bear the thought of anyone else having to go through something like this,' Sharon Heit said. 'In a split second you could ruin your future, injure or kill others, and tear a hole in the heart of everyone who loves you.'
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