Why you need to know the story of Fletcher Cleaves (Video)

THIS POST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY AT&T IT CAN WAIT

The story of Fletcher Cleaves is one you’ll be hearing about this weekend, and it’s one you need to hear.

Cleaves was a standout high school football player at Cordova High School in Memphis, Tenn., and he earned a scholarship to play at Lambuth University. But on Sept. 9, 2009, four months after graduating from high school, Cleaves was involved in a car accident that would change his life.

A driver who was distracted – preumably texting while driving – drifted into his lane and smashed into him. Cleaves ended up paralyed from the waist down and has been in a wheelchair since.

Cleaves lost his schoalrship, but he managed to perservere in his rehab. He recently graduated from the University of Memphis with a degree in computer science, and he has moved out on his own. He is now an advocate for AT&T’s It Can Wait campaign.

You’re pretty much not human if you haven’t texted/checked social media/surfed the web while driving. I’m embarrassed to say I do it, too. Unsurprisingly, according to the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute Research, texting while driving doubles the risk of a crash or near-crash. According to the National Safety Council, texting drivers are involved in over 200,000 vehicle crashes each year. Seeing this moving video and the story of Mr. Cleaves is just another reminder that whatever you think is so urgent while you’re driving can wait. Nothing is worth someone getting paralyzed over.

I also dug up this high school highlight video of Cleaves. Watch him bust out the Braxton Miller spin move:

THIS POST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY AT&T IT CAN WAIT