It was a cold winter night in December of 2002, when Janice Palmer’s son crashed his brand new car into another – killing himself and the passengers in the car instantly.

Daniel Palmer, a 17-year-old resident of Glastonbury, died never having the chance to graduate with his friends, or knowing that he got accepted into his college of choice or falling in love, getting married and having kids of his own – because he decided to drink and drive that night.

His choice has affected his parent’s lives every day since, and that is why his mother decided to tell her story at the Drunk Driving Awareness program in front of a room filled with teenagers and their loved ones at the L.P. Wilson Community Center on April 16.

“We are happy to be sharing our story with you tonight, because we know it will hopefully result in saving at least one life,” said Palmer, as she began to talk about her son.

The program, sponsored by the town’s Youth Commission, the police department and Windsor High School, gave the audience a sobering glimpse into the lives of two mourning moms, and the consequences that driving while intoxicated can have on people’s lives forever.

Sherry Chapman, a Mourning Parents ACT, Inc., [! MPACT] director, also spoke about her 19-year-old son, Ryan Ramirez, who died only a few hours after Daniel Palmer, as a result of the wrongful acts of a teenage drunk driver , who Chapman said is currently in jail.

!IMPACT was founded in 2002 by Connie and Tom Jasowski, and Joe Klett, after finding out that within an 11-day period and a 25-mile radius, five teenage boys were killed in three separate automobile accidents in Connecticut.

According to the statistics provided by the forum, nearly 6,000 teenagers die per year in automobile accidents, and it is the leading cause of death for young people ages 15 to 20 years of age.

After the forum, many parents and teens left with a realization they never thought of before that night.

“I thought it was enlightening,” said 17-year-old Chris Brown, of Windsor, who attends Northwest Catholic High School. His father, Ted Brown, was glad that he brought his son. “I thought it was beneficial,” he said. “I kind of had to make him come.”

Aaron Baker, 16, from Windsor, said his mother also made him come to the event, but he was glad she did. He learned an important lesson by attending the program. “One minute you’re there, and the next minute you’re gone,” said Baker.

Kevin Delane, 16, of Windsor, said he learned a valuable lesson, as well. “It taught me to be more careful and more aware of what is going on,” he said.

Chapman said that was the main goal of the forum.

“I would like teens to understand that they are empowered to make their own decisions,” she said. And, for parents, I want them to understand the risks.”

Palmer said ultimately parents have to trust their kids.

“When they leave the house, what is the alternative?” she asked. That’s why she said it’s important to reach the teens more than their parents. “I taught my son, but he made that choice to engage in drinking ... and look at the consequences.”

Other speakers included in the forum were Captain Thomas LePore and Officer Russell Winninger, and Dr. Jody Terranova, from the town youth commission , who discussed the importance of parents talking with their teens and creating a parent-teen driving contract that might just save their teen’s life.

For more information about !MPACT or new laws go to www.mourningparentsact .org.