Jaqui Saburido

Jacqui's story is painfully inspiring. As a 20-year old college student back in 1999, she came to the U.S. for a short visit to take some English classes. She was hit be a 19-year old drunk driver. Of the four people in Jacqui's car, two died, two survived. Jacqi, one of the survivers, was pinned under the dashboard of the passanger side and 60% of her body was burned after the engine caught fire and spead to the inside of the car.

Miraculously, she survived.

Jacqui is now living with her father in the U.S., far from her family and friends so she can get the medical attention she needs. She has had 50 surgeries already.

Jacqui's website is: www.helpjacqui.com

There is a link on the home page to a power-point slide show that tells her story and show before and after pictures.

There is also an address where you can send notes of encouragement to Jacqui. It is:

Help Jacqui
P.O. Box 27667
Austin, TX 78755

Jacqui has told her story on Oprah as well as appearing in a state-wide Drunk Driving poster campaign in Austin, TX.

The boy who hit Jacqui is now serving two consecutive 7-year prison sentences for manslaughter. He will get out of prison when he turns 28.

It is a humbling thought to see how quickly a person's whole life can change -- one foolish choice -- and a young girl winds up severely deformed, and a young boy winds up in prison for 14 year. I don't want to take only pity and judgment away with me after having read this story, but to pray for both Jacqui and the drunk driver. Both lives, and the lives of all their family and friends, have been forever changed.