On July 31, 2011. Kevin Daniel “Sunshine” Yates was headed home from Buffalo Wild Wings where he worked around 1:30am. He was traveling on Highway 153 in Chattanooga, TN and just miles down the road Kevin was met head-on by a drunk driver. She was traveling north in the southbound lane divided by a concrete-barrier. Her blood alcohol level was 0.2 (legal limit is 0.08), almost three times the legal limit, and she had three mood altering drugs in her system. She had driven for over four miles on the wrong side of the highway, passed four exits, and there were three 911 calls made before she reached Kevin. He swerved his van to the right at the last second and was hit in the driver side front quarter panel and door. Kevin had massive head injuries in four different areas of his brain, multiple broken bones from head to toe including compound fractures that punctured through the left arm and thigh, all the bones around the left eye that would have required cosmetic surgery, broken ribs, legs, feet and lacerations to his lungs and liver.

 

Less than 32 hours after the crash Kevin’s family was forever changed as they entered a “life sentence” when Kevin was pronounced brain dead at 8:57AM, August 1, 2011 due to swelling from the four massive brain injuries.

 

He was buried on August 6, 2011 at Hamilton Memorial Gardens.

 

Kevin had discussed prior with his family his wishes about becoming an Organ Donor, and in doing so Kevin saved the lives of four people: his heart went to a 48 year old male, Melvin Ellis, who we have met and is now a part of our family, his liver went to a 72 year old male, his right kidney went to a 48 year old male, and his left kidney and pancreas went to a 49 year old woman. The communication process has begun with the other recipients.

 

The driver who hit Kevin was charged with vehicular homicide by intoxication, reckless endangerment, and driving under the influence. She was sentenced to 8 years in prison with 6 years supervised probation and must volunteer with 1N3 at least twice a week for 90 days after her release. She has also expressed her deep regrets to our family and has offered to become a spokesperson with 1N3 upon her release.

 

In memory of Kevin, his brother and mother, Derek Yates and Tiki Finlayson, started 1N3 within days of the crash because one in three of us are impacted by drunk driving. They are 1N3. Other similar organizations focus on changing laws pertaining to driving under the influence, but they wanted to do more than that. They wanted to change the lives of the people that were impacted by it.