I would like everyone to know about our daughter, Jessica.
She loved life. Full of fun. Always making people laugh.
She really cared for her family and friends. She would always take up for her friends. She would speak her mind.
but she would be the first one there for you if you need her. she was not shy at all. voiced her opinion. Her smile would light up a room. Oh how I miss that. Her smile was her trademark. Everyone would always talk about her smile.
It would bother her if anyone was upset. She wanted everyone to be happy. We miss her so much!! We feel lost without her. We know she's watching over us and guiding us and we will be with her again some day, but that still does not ease the pain. We had to learn to live without her and we are still learning. Our daughter was killed in an automobile accident on June 20th 2005. Only 17 years old. She was not wearing her seatbelt. If she had been she would still be here. I am so sorry Jessica I should of protected you better. I will always feel the guilt. My husband and I since, have been on a crusade to promote seatbelt usuage. I know it will save lives. Jessica is the one that has done this. She get's all the credit for saving lives. She was the one that got the primary seatbelt law passed. We give out "BUCKLE UP FOR JESSICA MATLOCK" magnets and T-shirts with her picture on them.
Through our daughter's death, many will be saved.
That is the only thing that makes sense out of this.
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Sign Dedicated to Teen Killed in Accident
Nearly a year after Governor Fletcher signed the Primary Seatbelt Law into place, two of the law's biggest advocates help dedicate a Buckle Up sign in memory of their daughter.Ben and Brenda Matlock lost their daughter Jessica when she was thrown from her car and killed in summer of 2005. Jessica was not wearing a seatbelt.On Thursday, April 5, 2007, members of the Department of Transportation, law enforcement, the Matlock's and students at Warren Central High School unveiled a sign reminding students to buckle-up in honor of Jessica.
"Her parents, Brenda and Ben Matlock, have been very instrumental in spreading the word around this community as to why you should wear a seatbelt. They were standing beside the Governor when he signed the legislation into law and we just wanted to have this event today," Transportation Cabinet employee, Keirsten Jaggers said.Following the sign presentation the Matlock's and Kentucky State Police teamed up with Warren Central's JROTC to give the students at the high school another presentation ... one on the importance of wearing a seatbelt."The biggest killer of Americans between the ages of six to twenty-seven is the automobile," Warren Central Junior, Daniel Lawson said.Nationwide, nearly 4,000 teens a year are killed in car crashes. Kentucky has one of the highest crash rates."We're doing this to prevent accidents in Bowling Green and in Kentucky. It makes people be more safe and to wear their seatbelt," Lawson said.Every high school parent's worst nightmare is that their teen could be in a bad car crash. For Ben and Brenda Matlock it was all too real"June 20th of 2005 was the worst day of my life. I lost my beautiful girl," Ben Matlock said.Ever since their daughter was killed in a car crash it has been the Matlock's mission to get young drivers to buckle up."In the case of Jessica, a seatbelt would've saved her life and she'd be here today and I feel like she's working through us to get this message across to her classmates," Brenda Matlock said."She always told me ... Daddy, buckle up," Ben Matlock said.Ben Matlock always told his daughter that he didn't need a seatbelt. Now that has changed."As parents, we need to tell our children to buckle up everytime they leave the house because you don't want some policeman coming up to your door saying you lost your child and they aren't coming home anymore," Ben Matlock said and it's just as hard for the officers to deliver that message."It's an ugly, terrible thing we have to do when we walk in your living room and tell your parents you're not coming home. Don't put me in that spot," Kentucky State Police Sergeant John Clark urged students.The Matlock's are just hoping this message is getting across."When we were going through those first few months, we didn't know if we wanted to go on. She meant the world to us, but we kept pushing in hope and we had to have a reason and our reason is to help save lives," Brenda Matlock said.Warren Central's JROTC put on the presentation as part of Safe Driving Week at the school.They also had a wrecked car set up in the student parking lot to remind students to buckle up and drive safely.
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