Mother of distracted teen driver killed in wreck is turning pain into purpose

ALABASTER, AL (WBRC) - The mother of 17-year-old Camryn Callaway is still remembering her daughter a week after Callaway died in a car wreck. Michelle Lunsford is also spreading a message in attempt to make sure other teenagers avoid similar accidents.

Callaway got distracted behind the wheel. She had just left work at Mikey's Grill and was headed home on I-65 South near exit 242 when her car collided with a tractor trailer.

"We found out that this came from texting and driving or reading a text. She had a distraction from driving that is what happened," Lunsford said.

Lunsford remembers the moment that changed the course of the life she once knew.

"I was in shock but honestly at that moment in time I knew that there was a reason God took her," she said. "She is my one and only daughter and he chose for whatever reason and whatever his will to take her and I knew something big was going to come from it."

And what came from it was a big message. One of awareness. Lunsford is working to bring light to the true dangers of texting and driving. She started with Callaway's friends during her funeral.

"I made each one of them promise me, some had tears in their eyes and some just looked away, but each and every one I made them promise me that they would not text and drive, that they would get an app that would allow it to be blocked, whatever it takes for them not to be distracted when they drive," Lunsford said.

She wants to continue the message with other high school drivers, starting at Thompson High School. Lunsford wants to take her daughter's wrecked car to the school so students can not only feel the impact, but see it as well.

"I know there's a reason for this and I know good things will come from this and that's to save lives," Lunsford said.

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