Help us save lives, one seat belt at a time

May 17th, 2021, marks the day when our family became a part of a club that no family ever wants to join. At only sixteen years of age, our sweet daughter's life was cut short tragically when she was killed in a single-vehicle rollover in Alberta, Canada. She had just removed her seat belt minutes before the crash to slide over and make room for a friend who wanted to join her in the back seat of the car. Of the three people in the vehicle, our daughter Shea-Lynn was the only one who failed to resecure her seat belt properly. The result was that she was thrown from the car and killed instantly.

We still ask ourselves every day, “Why her? Why us? Why did she have to be the one to go so early?” Shea-Lynn had so much light and love to give and was always good at wearing a seat belt. She was smart, caring, determined, and silly. She grounded many, made everyone feel special, and had a way of putting people at ease. For me? She was my glue. She completed me. Never ever did I envision a world without her. Never ever did I think this would happen to one of my kids!!

In an attempt to make sense of the situation, in the weeks and months following the crash, we looked up statistics on seat belt use and other contributing factors to motor vehicle accidents involving young drivers. What we found surprised us! Among many things, we learned how car accidents are the leading cause of death for youth 16-25 years of age and how many people die unnecessarily on the road each year because they weren’t buckled up. All these lives could have been saved had they simply been wearing seat belts.

So, in a desperate attempt to prevent another family from experiencing a similar tragedy, "Shea-Lynn's Butterfly Effect" was born. A project started to honour and remember our daughter and turn pain into purpose. The name was chosen for many special reasons. Not only because she had a love for butterflies but because the term “Butterfly Effect” references a concept that every small event or tiny action taken in this world has the potential to start a domino effect in its own regard. A ripple effect that leads to something significant over time. That…indeed…is what we hope to achieve!

By sharing our daughter’s story, we hope it will serve as a reminder of how quickly things can change; how simple choices (like buckling up) can prevent another family from experiencing what we have had to go through. Shea-Lynn touched so many people’s lives in her short 16 years on earth, but we don’t want her story to end there. We can make a more significant impact if we turn this project into a charity. Our mission: to increase seat belt compliance and promote safer driver/passenger choices, preventing another family from experiencing a similar tragedy.

But we can’t do this alone. We need your assistance to help us get started. Using Giving Tuesday to launch this fundraiser, we hope you will help us celebrate Shea-Lynn’s life by supporting our seat belt awareness charity today! We need to raise funds to help us cover the start-up costs (legal and application fees) of creating the charity in Shea-Lynn’s memory. We have been told it will cost between $10,000-15,000, followed by additional costs to develop and deliver the programs and services.

Will you help us? Will you join Shea-Lynn’s Butterfly Effect movement? Will you stand for seat belt awareness and help us save lives? We would be forever grateful for any contribution that you might be able to provide. 100% of the proceeds (less GoFundMe transaction fees) will go towards establishing the charity. Every donation will make a difference and put us one step closer to establishing a charity in her name. If you cannot donate, even sharing our call for help would be so appreciated! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!! Your support is truly appreciated. Together, we can help save lives, one seat belt at a time.

Take care. Get home safe. Someone loves you!! #BuckleUp4Shea