Dad selling gift Jeep to bury daughter, 15

[Hum]

WEST SUNBURY, PA ? A father who lost his daughter in a Butler County crash last week said he has to sell her car to pay for funeral expenses.

Alexis McKinney died in a crash on Thompson Town Road Wednesday night.

"All my hopes and dreams were in her," David McKinney told WPXI reporter Brandon Hudson. "I just wanted her to go to college."

Investigators said the 15-year-old was killed when the driver, Bryant Butler, 17, lost control of a Chevy Blazer he was driving. Police said the two teenagers weren't wearing seatbelts and drugs and alcohol may have been a factor.

David McKinney said his daughter's sixteenth birthday was just a few days away and he was planning on giving her a Jeep for her birthday. McKinney said he now has to sell the Jeep so he can afford the funeral expenses.

"I would never in my wildest dreams ever believe that I would be doing this,"McKinney said.

McKinney told Hudson the last few days have been painful and he still sleeps in her room just so he can feel close with her.

"The night that she passed, it was like I passed with her," McKinney said. "My life will never be the same without Alexis."

A family friend donated a plot of land to McKinney so he could bury her, but he needs to sell the Jeep to pay the other expenses.

McKinney said his friend's kind gesture is a sign of the incredible impact his daughter had on others.

Counselors will be on hand at Knoch High School for grieving students Monday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Contributions can be made to Young Funeral Home, P.O. Box 1522, Butler, PA 16003, to help with funeral expenses.

source

[neufuse Veteran]

every freaking death in a car wreck around here in the past few years has had "and the victims were not wearing their seat bealts" as the reason... seriously at what point will people figure out wear the darn things

[Charisma Veteran]

every freaking death in a car wreck around here in the past few years has had "and the victims were not wearing their seat bealts" as the reason... seriously at what point will people figure out wear the darn things

And more importantly, stop freaking driving under the influence. These kinds of things are completely unnecessary and avoidable... :(

I feel sorry for this father.

[The Laughing Man]

Lack of seatbelts + drugs + alcohol, I have no sympathy for her lack of judgment. I just feel for the father for what he has gone through.

[Hum]

Yeah -- if you are going to drink, park it somewhere.

Only drive again when you've sobered up -- or walk it home.

[Buttus]

Yeah -- if you are going to drink, park it somewhere.

Only drive again when you've sobered up -- or walk it home.

right! i slept in my car a few times back in the day because i knew i wasn't ok to drive...

[neufuse Veteran]

right! i slept in my car a few times back in the day because i knew i wasn't ok to drive...

Sadly around here, even being in a car drunk is illegal..... because you have "intent" to drive by being inside it..... so that's not even an option for some

[Larry the Lobster]

I'm a dad. As horrible as it would be in my imagination to lose your child this way, I know it is even worse for him, because for me, it will be forgotten in a few hours. For this man, it will be a pain he takes to his grave that nothing can ever remove.

[ILikeTobacco]

every freaking death in a car wreck around here in the past few years has had "and the victims were not wearing their seat bealts" as the reason... seriously at what point will people figure out wear the darn things

Never.. because they are dead...

[Dick Montage]

A father who lost his daughter in a Butler County crash last week said he has to sell her car to pay for funeral expenses.

And what? She's no longer here to drive it, so selling it makes sense!

[ILikeTobacco]

And what? She's no longer here to drive it, so selling it makes sense!

The point of this article is to find donations to help pay for the funeral. Thats what.

[McKay]

I feel so sorry for the Father.

[Bryan R.]

It's just amazing how stupid some people can be. I've made some stupid mistakes at that age, but driving under any influence I will never understand.

[Larry the Lobster]

And what? She's no longer here to drive it, so selling it makes sense!

Such compassion for the father in your post...

[majortom1981]

Everybody should have a breatherlyzer . Heck you can get them at a drug store for $30. Yes they arent accurate BUT they are enough to tell you when you can drive or not after drinking.

[spacer]

So this girl was giving him some road head, he didn't pay attention to where he was driving, and lost control. That sucks.

:shifty:

[threetonesun]

Everybody should have a breatherlyzer . Heck you can get them at a drug store for $30. Yes they arent accurate BUT they are enough to tell you when you can drive or not after drinking.

Or you could just not drive after drinking. It's not that hard.

[Arachno 1D]

and drugs and alcohol may have been a factor

Since when does the this statement have any standing it states MAY HAVE nothing definate or proven so stop assuming it does

[+Warwagon MVC]

Personally I've never driven drunk in my life. I pretty much walk down town to get drunk every Friday (17 min walk 1 direction). When I go out and IF i'm going to have to drive home I don't drink at all. As far as the seat belt goes, who else feels naked if they don't have their seat belt on? I DO!

I can't believe people still don't wear seat belts. IDIOTS!

[SirEvan]

Yeah -- if you are going to drink, park it somewhere.

Only drive again when you've sobered up -- or walk it home.

They were 17 and 15...their minds haven't formed the ability to make rational decisions like that..

[Glassed Silver]

I feel incredibly sorry for the dad... The pain he feels now is not comparable at all I think and he's going through hell right now I bet.

All my sympathy is with him and I hope he can get to live a rather normal life after the worst time has passed again, well, as normal as it gets I mean.

@ driving drunk topic:

totally agree with you guys here, it's one of the worst things you can do and I remember when I was a little younger I played Need for Speed whilst being drunk and it was hell lots of fun, but seeing how I'd always strive to the right or left and crash that definitely clearly shows how it's hard to control a car, let alone yourself when drunk.

Now, that was all fun, because it was playing games, but it'd be scary as hell to try this even on a closed testing place. :/

Anyone should ever try getting drunk and playing a driving simulator or something similar.

Teaches you a lesson, not that I needed it, never thought it was a great idea, but apparently it'd give some peeps the needed respect for that drink&drive combo.

Glassed Silver:mac

[neufuse Veteran]

Never.. because they are dead...

I don't know if you are trying to start fights or what, but honestly?.... I'm not talking about these people, I am talking in general about ALL people

[+Warwagon MVC]

[Charisma Veteran]

They were 17 and 15...their minds haven't formed the ability to make rational decisions like that..

And this is a good reason why the legal drinking age is as high as it is.

[neufuse Veteran]

And this is a good reason why the legal drinking age is as high as it is.

yet in countries that have lower legal drinking ages this problem isn't as bad as it is here....