Christine Olson received a call December 7, 2005 that no mother ever wants to receive.  Her 29-year-old son, Derek, told her there’d been an accident and she needed to go to Manatee Memorial Hospital.  It was a Wednesday night, the night her 22-year-old daughter, Tiffany, and her boyfriend of nearly one year, Dustin Wilder, would ride his 2002 Kawaski motorcycle to St. Petersburg to attend the Quaker State bike meet.  Derek received a call at 11:32 p.m.

 I got in my car; Lord knows if I was even dressed praying the entire time “Please let her be okay.”  Upon arriving at the hospital, I was told that she was not there.  I asked them to check another hospital and was shocked when they said they didn’t really speak to other hospitals.

 Frantically Derek and I tried to call other hospitals only to find out they do not release this information.  There I stood in a state of panic wondering where she was and if she was crying out for her Momms.

 I asked for directions to the chapel, but at the time Manatee Memorial Hospital was under construction and I Could not understand the directions they were giving me.  No one seemed to reach out and help.

 I believe the security guard (a nice woman) called Florida Highway Patrol because at 1:30 a.m. they pulled into the parking lot of the hospital.

 I can see it like it was yesterday.  Derek who was standing on my left side collapsed with his face in his hands.

 When law enforcement approached me, he said, “I’m sorry your daughter is gone.”  When I asked where she was, he stated, “I presume with the medical examiner but they’re closed.  I could call them in the morning.”

 He then handed me an evidence bag containing her watch, broken earring, toe ring and lip gloss.  That was it! 

 After that night I thought something has to change in the way families are notified.  Six and a half hours was just too long.  I have found out the national average is 6 hours.  I have high hopes of reaching everyone.

  Christine would learn that, at approximately 7:00 p.m. a car traveling westbound crossing U.S. 19 in Palmetto had hit Olson and Wilder, who were traveling northbound.  Tiffany was thrown 93 feet and died immediately, suffering a broken neck.

 Wilder, who was found 78 feet from the crash site, died shortly after the accident.  His parents also could not locate him and were unable to see him one last time, let alone be with him when he died.

 My daily mission is to make a significant change in honor of my daughter but it starts with you.  Take the time to register today and share this program with everyone you know.

Olson has high hopes for a law that could make a difference in the remembrance of her daughter.  “Time is crucial.  There is no time to waste”, she said.  “No one should have to go through this.