Confusion
Trying to make sense of it all, she opened her eyes and cast them around the silent room, and, just for a second, she was relieved to see some familiar faces. But then, her life began to fall apart.
Her family and friends' faces were twisted into expressions of pain. She desperately wanted to reach out and comfort them, but she was frozen in place. Something was horribly wrong.
Losing Touch
Melanie Dillon was excited to catch up with her best friend, who she hadn't spoken to for a while. They had been close, but life, as it does, had simply gotten in the way.
Working a full-time job in a different city, it was too late when she realized that she had unintentionally distanced herself from everyone around her. And, before she knew it, six months had gone by.
Going Home
But, she intended to change all that. She’d cleared her schedule and taken the weekend off. Melanie loved being on the open road, so the seven-hour drive from Wisconsin to her hometown of Minnesota seemed to fly by.
Exhilarated by the wind whipping through her hair as she barreled down the expressway, she gleefully glanced at the speedometer’s needle creeping closer to the halfway mark. But she had no idea that she was actually racing toward the most harrowing ordeal of her life.
Ill-Fated Plan
Arriving at Jen’s apartment, Melanie couldn’t wait to reconnect with her friend. And, after she and Jen had had a good catch-up, she decided to put her ill-fated plan into action.
She wanted to drive to her childhood home in Washington County and surprise her family. Little did Melanie know, it would be a far cry from the happy reunion that she’d hoped for.
Dozens Of Cars
Melanie pulled up to her parents’ drive and was surprised to see that there were about a dozen cars parked outside. She immediately thought it was strange.
She stood, bewildered, and not sure what to do. Should she turn back? Had she come at a bad time? Perhaps she should have called first. But when she saw the hearse, all she could think was that something terrible had happened.
Rows Of People
Melanie opened the door and walked into the reception room, where she was greeted by a stranger who silently ushered her into the next room. She was immediately taken aback. Nobody greeted her or tried to explain.
There were rows of seats. Everyone had their heads bowed in mourning. Unable to do anything but sit down amid the awkward silence, she picked an empty seat in the corner. But things only got weirder from there.
Familiar Faces
The tone in the room was somber. From her quiet corner, Melanie's eyes furtively darted around the room, trying to gather more information about the awkward situation.
Then, she froze. She recognized several people in the room around her as some extended members of her own family. Their faces were filled with sorrow. What had she intruded on?
In A Daze
Melanie still had no idea whose funeral she was attending. She looked around again, looking for a clue. Then, she saw it -- her own last name on a program that was in the hands of someone a few seats away from her.
But if someone in her family had passed away, surely her family would have told her? The only logical explanation was that this was a funeral for one of her distant cousins, or even for a family member she had never met. It couldn’t be for someone she knew… could it?
Her Mom
Trying to make sense of the bizarre situation, Melanie leaned forward and craned her neck, scanning for her close family members in the crowd.
Relief washed over her as she spotted her mom’s face. But then, her life began to fall apart. Her mom’s face was contorted with so much grief that it broke her heart. Something was very wrong here.
Some Strangers
And, Melanie wasn't the only person who was confused. Kim, a law student, was also brought to the unexpected funeral at the Dillon residence.
She, too, thought that she was meeting up with her friends and family. The whole ordeal turned out to be anything but an ordinary situation, as Kim and Melanie were about to find out.
Her Father Stood Up To Speak
When a photo of herself caught Melanie's eye from across the room, she started to put the pieces of the puzzle together in her mind.
But none of it made sense. Was this some kind of sick joke? But, when her father stood up to speak, she realized why she was at this ceremony.
She Remembered
Her father started by saying, "It was the night of October 21. The phone rang, but it wasn’t you. It was the police." Melanie remembered that night well.
It was just before she had moved to Wisconsin -- she had just gotten a job offer and she was celebrating. She had been out driving with her friends and having a carefree time…
In Tears
Her father went on to say, "I want to be strong, but how is that possible? I am a father who is burying his daughter."
Melanie now understood the true gravity of the situation. Seeing her father in tears over just the possibility of her death made Melanie thankful that she was still alive and didn't put her father through this grief.
Consequences
As Melanie's father's eulogy continued, she began thinking of the consequences of her actions.
If the people who were seated next to her now, which included friends she had known her entire life and family she loved dearly, all would be so devastated by her passing that they set up this event to tell her so, she would start taking her own life more seriously.
Her Heart Broke
Her father continued, "Speeding, just this one time, marked the end of you. I cannot and do not want to try to understand." Then, it clicked in Melanie's head.
Her loved ones were all with her because they didn't want to see her become the victim of a car accident, and her reckless driving habit put her at that risk.
They Said Their Goodbyes
Melanie and Kim both experienced something that few people ever would. They were both in attendance of their own funerals, which were set up by family and friends.
With the help of a television crew, they had planned everything. Their goal? To expose them to the realities of their dangerous behaviors and inspire a change.
Another Woman In The Same Situation
This video, produced by the Vias Institute, intends to make individuals aware of the possible consequences of their reckless driving habits.
Showing people that they could end up dead, or kill another person in the blink of an eye because they were driving over the speed limit is an important message to share, and Kim was the next one to learn this...
Kim's Friends Tried to Help Her
Kim was stunned when her best friend Anna took to the podium to speak, as Kim didn't even realize that she was in the room.
She had been just as dazed and confused as Melanie. Just the devastated look on Anna's face was enough to make Kim tear up… then, she began her speech.
"We Were Supposed To Go To Brazil Together"
Anna started her eulogy to Kim by saying, "I thought this only happened to others, but here I am. Why did you have to go? Why you?
"The person I did everything with. With whom I could share everything with. We still had a lot of things to do. In April we were going to Brazil together."
Kim Started To Sob
As Kim heard her best friend's words she started to sob. Not everyone gets to know what the consequences of their own actions would be, and Kim was seeing hers first hand.
She knew at that moment that she would do anything she could to keep her friends from feeling this pain for real.
Her Brother Was Scared For Her Life
Seated next to Kim was her brother, who got up to say, "It’s terrible to see you plucked from our lives like that. You were my friend, my support, and my hope."
She had never heard him speak like that before, even though they had known each other their whole lives. This really made Kim start to realize that her actions have consequences.
Her Name Was On The Tombstone
During the ceremony, Kim caught a glimpse outside of a grave meant for her. To be standing so close to her own grave made this moment teach her something profound.
She had the power to stop this from happening, and if she didn't change her driving habits, she knew exactly what would happen.
Melanie Knew How She Could Stop This From Happening Again
Melanie was no longer sad, she now had a newfound sense of purpose.
To save her family and friends a lot of stress and to stop the possibility of this funeral becoming real, she would have to be more careful while driving. And, she didn't think she would ever forget this moment.
"We Still Had A List Of Things To Do"
Once more, Anna, Kim's best friend, took to the podium to speak directly to her, saying, "Kim, this time I can still ask you.
"Please be careful when you are driving. I don’t want to lose you." And thankfully, Kim didn't put up a fight when she was confronted with these words.
Melanie Vowed To Change Her Habits
Melanie's father also pleaded directly with his daughter, saying, "Please never speed again. We love you too much to lose you."
She knew that she would never want to be the cause of so much sorrow in her father's life, especially not if she could do something to stop it from happening.
She Wouldn't Be Another Statistic
The institute that produced this video provided the message, “Virtually no one feels it is dangerous to drive a few km/h faster than the maximum speed limit."
"However, even this ‘slight’ speeding kills and injures hundreds of people every year. And we tend to ignore the many lives of people close to us that are devastated as well."
The Event Left Everyone Heartbroken
"To slow down their loved ones before it is too late, people in this film set up an unusual wake-up call. They invited their speeding friend or family member to their own funeral. The emotional reality check was caught on (hidden) camera.”
This set up would change the life of anyone with self-destructive behaviors, as it lets them see the true results of their actions.
Kim Reunited With Her Best Friend
After Anna spoke, Kim immediately rushed to her side to thank her. The two embraced and Kim swore that she would never put herself or any of her friends in danger again.
And Melanie had a similar sentiment for her father, too.
Melanie Thanked Her Father
Melanie sobbed in her father's arms after his moving speech. This event changed her heart and would remain a strong memory for the rest of her life.
Anyone can change their habits if given the right motivation to do so, and seeing your own funeral is a mental image that can end up saving someone's life.
Their Families Could Sleep Soundly, Again
These people were at an increased risk of dying in a car crash due to their reckless driving habits, but they aren't the only people who are.
This event may have been an unusual wake-up call, but it provided these people with an intervention that may have saved their lives for good.