Barry & Sylvia Williams

It was a normal day we got up and went to work. On my way home Stephen phoned me to let me know that Sheila and himself and Macca their dog were at our house. We were going to look after Macca while they went to our caravan for couple of days. They were so excited, so young and so in love, with their whole lives a head of them.

They left at 4-15pm joking and laughing as they drove off. “See you Friday and phone us when you get there,” I said as they left. Time went by and John our youngest son came home from college, he was disappointed that he had not seen them before they left. Barry got home at 6pm, “No phone call from Stephen and Sheila yet” I told him. I tried phoning their mobile and there was no answer, 7pm came and still no answer. At 7-25pm I was dialling Stephens mobile when the doorbell rang, I opened the door and there stood a Policeman. He said does the owner of a white BMW live here, my reaction was to run into the Kitchen not wanting to hear anymore, he came in and gave us the horrific news. Stephen and Sheila had been killed in a road crash. Poor John fell on his knees in disbelief. Barry asked questions and listened to what the Policeman said.

When we heard the details of the crash it just got worse. They were on the M20 when the cab of an articulated lorry travelling on the other carriageway crashed through the central reservation and hit their car head on. Both vehicles spun around to face the opposite directions they had been travelling. The force of the impact was so great poor Sheila was cut in half and the top half of her body was thrown 50 yards up the motorway. The lorry driver was pulled out of his cab but Steven’s car caught fire with him still in it, the police told me he was dead before this happened.

We just couldn’t take in this awful news in, why our Stephen and Sheila who were so young? We were in a state of total shock and disbelief, it was like someone had ripped out our hearts and stamped on them. We were numb but yet in so much pain. That night haunts us to this day and always will.

That selfish callous lorry driver killed our Stephen and Sheila and took the happy contented life we once knew and destroyed our future. We have cried so much and our pain and heartache is endless. The yearning to have them back is unbearable some days.

The lorry driver had been warned not to drive because he had fallen asleep at the wheel several times in the past. He was eventually convicted for ‘Death by dangerous driving’. The anger and hatred we feel towards this driver is indescribable, if only he had listened to his Doctor’s advice not to drive our Stephen and Sheila would still be alive today and we would not be heartbroken.