The victim of an impaired driving collision is speaking out and says there need to be harsher sentences for drunk drivers across the country.
Mike Burden and his wife Kendra Burden suffered severe, life-threatening injuries when they were struck by an impaired driver while they were out riding their motorcycle on Father’s Day.
READ MORE: Fredericton collision sends three to hospital with serious injuries
Burden and his family are currently in the early stages of trying to present a petition to the federal government.
He had to have a leg amputated, part of his stomach removed and suffered a severe brain injury that he says has altered his personality. His wife Kendra also suffered major injuries to her legs.
He said he struggles every morning to put on his prosthetic leg and make his way to the washroom.
READ MORE: Weekend fundraiser aims to help victims of serious Fredericton crash
Burden says “alcohol and cars kill, mangle and hurt peoples’ families and it’s got to change.”
His father, Mickey Burden, said Mike approached him shortly after the sentencing hearing of the driver and asked him if he could help launch a petition to try and get stiffer guidelines enacted in Canada.
After studying parliamentary procedure, Mickey Burden said he’s in the process of getting everything in place. He said he’s currently collecting names and email addresses of supporters through his Facebook page and says a member of Parliament will need to sponsor the petition — something he hopes to have locked down next week.
Once all the pieces are in-place he will then need a minimum of 500 signatures to submit the petition.
“I don’t want 500, I want 5,000. I want 50,000 and I think we can do this in a matter of a few weeks or a month,” Mickey said.
Burden said having the petition officially posted would “mean the world” to him.
“It would be like getting my leg back knowing that there was a change and that my name had something to do with it,” Burden said.
But he said the petition is not just about him, he wants to prevent others from having to endure what he and his family have gone through.
“Maybe that’s why I lived that day, to make this change, ’cause I should have died,” Burden said.
Comments