Reporter: Judy Maggio
Email: jamaggio@keyetv.com
Last Update: 10/05/2007 10:25 am
Link to article at KEYETV.com
This week, Mitchie Mitchell would have celebrated his 22nd birthday. Instead, his mother held services at the gallery in his honor and the cemetery where he is buried. Both events were celebrations of Mitchie’s life. They were also opportunities for his mother, Joyce Adejumo, to remind everyone of the tragic circumstances that eventually led to her only child’s death. Mitchie was the victim of a drunk driving accident when he was three. His father was behind the wheel. His serious injuries led to many stays in the hospital. One of those stays brought another tragedy, a terrible infection. From then on, Mitchie was often in a life and death health struggle. He died this past January.
I first met Mitchie and his mother when I covered his graduation from Westwood High School several years ago. He was in a wheelchair, barely able to move and unable to speak. He got the longest standing ovation I have ever seen.
Throughout his 18 year ordeal, Mitchie’s mother never gave up hope or her deep faith in God. She is the epitome of motherly love.
Together, she and Mitchie fought for tougher drunk driving laws in Texas and won. There is now a foundation in Mitchie’s name that provides scholarships for children affected by drunk driving. And there’s no doubt in my mind, Joyce will continue to deliver a powerful message about the dangers of drinking and driving.
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