Feb. 5, 1997 my whole world came crashing down on me… never to be the same. In the flash of an instant, my child, my beautiful first born son, whom I so dearly loved and cherished was taken from me. Every parents worst nightmare suddenly became mine.

My little Michael Christopher Morrissey, at the age of 6 and a half was tragically killed as he bicycled his way to the school he so loved to be a part of. My son was only a foot from the center of the road, when he was struck by a 1975 Ford Pickup truck.

As if that wasn't bad enough, the man behind the wheel happened to be brain damaged from a previous accident he had been in, and never ever took his foot off the gas pedal. This man has no reaction time. Had this man used the 100 or so calories needed to lift his foot off of the gas, he would have coasted to a stop before my son was so horribly killed by the wheels of this man's 2-ton pickup truck.

This man was never cited by the responding officer, (the officer knew him from church) and continues to drive to this day. He has been involved in 3 more accidents since killing my son in February of last year.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I will never have justice in my eyes. I only want the man to stop driving… for the sake of the other kids. I want him to stop driving.

My mom and sister, Wendy, have helped immensly. They have listened as I poured out my feelings and sorrows over and over again. They have opened up their home to my son and I to try to make a fresh new start in life. Not to forget that my Michael lived. But that he would want me to go on with my life and Brandon's and make the most of it.

Perhaps making a change in the laws that allow brain damaged people the priviledge to drive without ever testing their reaction times… truly the reason my son will not be spending this Thanksgiving with us.

They have helped financially and with re-structering my son's and my lives, filling them with meaning once again. They have attended parenting classes and made their home ours. I could never be able to thank them enough for all they've done, for they've saved me from a life of self torture that I was placing upon myself over the death of my son.

Monitarily, there is nothing I can do to repay them. I just want them to know how much I care and appreciate them for being there for me. They represent the true meaning of the word "family".

Thank you so much Mom and Wendy. Another angel sent my way is a wonderful lady by the name of Kristine Cerone. A fellow bereaved parent, I "met" her on a grief group on the internet of all things. This group was my salvation. I could get on any time, day or night, and "talk" with someone who was or had gone through basically the same feelings I was experiencing and understand and offer support.

Chris took a special interest in my "story" as she is somewhat of a child advocate and has a 6 year old grand-daughter herself. I don't know where or if I'd be here today if not for her. When my son and I were planning on making a trip to San Diego to see my mom, we decided that we should meet. (She and her daughter both reside in Huntington Beach). When we met, we simply cried and embraced as we had all ready shared our inner most feelings and thoughts about death via e-mail.

She helped me look at my son's coroner photos and help put to rest the nightmares that had been going through my head for the last year and a half as I wondered what my son's last minutes were like. I was able to look at those pictures and know that my son wasn't "there" in those pictures and hadn't been for a long time. They simply represented what a brain damaged individual behind the wheel of a motor vehicle can do to a child.

This lady even gets better. She knew that it had been a dream of Michael's to go to Disneyland. He had sent for brochures and had books about it but I had told him he had to wait until his younger brother was old enough to enjoy it to. A mistake on my part. Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today. Michael never made it there.

They, Chris and her daughter Danielle, had decided that Brandon and I had to go to Disneyland.. their treat. Chris' daughter, Danielle came up with the idea of getting a "Mikey" doll for Brandon so that when he walked through the gates of Disneyland he would be with his brother!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What a special way to keep my son's memory alive. The five of us, me, Brandon, "Mikey", Danielle and her daughter Ashley carried that doll throughout the entire park all day and all night. "Mikey" went on every ride with us that day and touched a lot of interested people's lives. By their extreme thoughtfulness, they kept my son's memory alive on such a special and important day in our lives. The whole idea and forethought just floors me and leaves me speechless to this day.

It is such an exhiliration to a bereaved parent to hear their child's name and hear him/her remembered. One of the ride operator's was so touched by the whole thing that she motioned the kids over after their ride. She gave them each stickers on their shirts making them honorary citizens of Disneyland for the day. Then she bent down to Brandon, looking him in the eye and began writing. She said " And this is a present from your brother in Heaven and it's for each and every one of you. You can take this to any ride in the whole park of your choice and take it to the front of the line and get on in front of everybody!

People can truly be so wonderful at times, and we as a society rush through our days not noticing. I truly believe that Michael, and Chris' angel in heaven, Rick brought us together to support one another. I am so eternally grateful for her, Danielle and Ashley and the internet and grief group for just simply being there. They are truly worth their weight in gold.