Driver’s remorse acknowledges pain

My heart breaks for the Agerup and Woods family as I read of the sentencing of the man who so violently took their innocent lives and forever changed the lives of those left behind to grieve. (Wednesday article, “Man is sentenced to 8 years in crash that killed 4”).

The grieving becomes more bearable over time, but never ceases. I want to encourage the families to remain strong. Life will carry you along even when you think you can’t or don’t want to go on without your loved ones. How do I know this? My parents, Elmer and Joyce Kvinsland, were senselessly killed by a habitual drunk driver on June 17, 2000.

The difference that struck me, was that witnesses heard Matthew McDonald react with horror, saying “My God, what have I done?” He showed up in court and emotionally listened to the victims’ families try to put words to their loss, which I know is impossible. Their loss is unspeakable. I hope they, however, can find some solace in the fact that this man stood up and acknowledged his hideous act, and is paying for his crime according to the sentencing guidelines.

The coward who killed my parents, according to witnesses, had no concern for the carnage he had inflicted on my poor mom and dad; his only concern appeared to be for the damage he had inflicted on his Dodge Ram pickup. While my siblings and I were making funeral arrangements for our parents, a Seattle TV news crew captured video of him smiling, waving to a friend while holding a case of beer under his arm, having never spent a night in jail. Rather than serve an exceptional sentence, days before the sentencing he committed suicide. It was paramount to me to know if he had left our family a note of apology. He had not. In my book, he took the chicken’s way out. I am glad these heartbroken families at least received an apology.

Kathy Kvinsland Davis

Camano Island

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