The grim and powerful mock accident scene, Shattered Lives, will return to Tomball with an April 13 and 14 presentation at Concordia Lutheran High School for the school’s juniors and seniors.

The Shattered Lives program features a staged drunk driving accident scene on the campuses of local high schools with the goal to teach local teenagers the consequences of drinking and driving. In addition to the accident scene, the students who “die” in the scene are removed from school and stay overnight at an undisclosed location; their obituaries are read to their classmates and their parents are notified of their “deaths” and have to identify their bodies.

The elaborate accident scene will be set up in the school’s parking lot. Shortly after the school day begins, students will make their way out to the scene to watch the program. When they arrive, they will find at least two vehicles destroyed and mangled, with their classmates laying “dead” and mock-injured among the vehicles and scattered around the scene.

An emergency call is simulated and played over loudspeakers and fire, EMS and police arrive on the scene. Even an emergency air ambulance will land nearby to fly an injured student away.

Many parents often take part in witnessing the event and those whose students volunteer as mock-victims are asked by emergency personnel to identify their bodies at the scene in front of the student body.

“The student class will watch as the families and the community try to cope with the results of this life-changing event,” Shattered Lives organizers stated in a press release.

Those students who are pronounced dead will be placed on a stretcher and into a hearse to be driven away to their overnight stay destination in order to simulate the reality of that student not being at school.

“The participating students will experience the stress and loneliness that comes from irreversible decisions and behaviors as they stay overnight at a retreat locked away from the rest of the world,” Shattered Lives organizers stated.

Returning to this year’s program is a presentation open and free to the general public at the conclusion of the two-day program. On April 14 at 7 p.m., a public assembly will be held in Concordia’s auditorium to show the “up close and personal impact this program has on young adults.”

Shattered Lives of Tomball is now in its sixth year; this is the programs third appearance at Concordia Lutheran High School. The program alternates presentations at Tomball and Concordia High Schools for each school’s junior and senior classes.

Event organizers say that according to Tomball PD statistics, DWIs and DUIs have decrease since the program was first presented in 2006.

Shattered Lives is supported through funds and donations from the community and is a 501 c-3 organization. For more information and to donate, visit shatteredlives-tomball.org.

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