Don't drink & drive
In her home-country Venezuela, on vacation
At a birthday party as a child
At a party with friends a couple of months before the accident
The car in which Jacqueline travelled when she was hit by a car driven by a 17-year old student on his way home after a couple of beers with his friends. This was in late 1999.
After the accident Jacqueline has needed over 40 operations
Jacqueline was caught in the burning car and her body was heavily burnt during around 45 seconds
Here with her father in 2000
Getting treatment
Without a left eyelid Jacqie needs eyedrops to keep her vision
Now 20 year old, he cannot forgive himself for driving on that night three years ago. He s aware of devastating Jaqcueline Saburido's life.
Not everyone who gets hit with a car dies. This picture was taken 4 years after the accident and the doctors are still working on Jacqueline, who s body was covered with 60% severe burnings.
Early on Sunday morning September 19, 1999, Jacqui - then 20 years old - and four friends were on their way home from a birthday party. Reggie Stephey, an 18-year-old high school student, was on his way home from drinking beer with some buddies. On a dark road on the outskirts of Austin, Texas, Reggie's SUV veered into the Oldsmobile carrying Jacqui and the others. Two passengers in the car were killed at the scene and two were rescued.
Within minutes, the car caught fire. Jacqui was pinned in the front seat on the passenger side. She was burned over 60% of her body; no one thought she could survive. But Jacqui lived. Her hands were so badly burned that all of her fingers had to be amputated. She lost her hair, her ears, her nose, her left eyelid and much of her vision. She has had more than 50 operations since the crash and has many more to go.
In June 2001 Reggie Stephey was convicted of two counts of intoxication manslaughter for the deaths of Jacqui's two friends. He was sentenced to seven years in prison and fined $20,000. He cannot forgive himself for driving on that night drunk.
May 20, 2013 07:05 
