COLUMBUS, Ohio — In the coming weeks, many people will be hitting the road for holiday travel.
The holidays are meant to be spent with family, but for some people, it’s a painful reminder of who they’re missing.
“It was Nathan’s favorite holiday, he'd be putting lights up it was his... his favorite time of year,” said Cathy Richeson. Her family’s holidays will never be the same.
Her son, Nathan Richeson, was killed in 2014 after he was hit by a distracted driver.
Since then, Cathy and her husband Doug have moved to Michigan but are still strong advocates against distracted driving in Ohio. Cathy said that it’s preventable, and the scars that it can leave behind will never heal.
"We will always have an open hole in our hearts,” said Richeson.
Nathan was a pilot in the Air Force. He was a husband, a son and an uncle.
Her message this year, and every day for that matter is simple,” Do not drive impaired and or distracted because it is a very selfish act.”
A spokesperson with the Ohio State Highway Patrol told 10TV so far this year there have been 9,270 distracted driving crashes. Out of those, 29 crashes have been fatal.
Richeson hopes her son's story will resonate with others, so they never have to spend a Christmas without a loved one.