Anthony Franklin, McKinney, TX, June 3, 2010 -21 years old

by Kimberly Corbitt (Mom)
(McKinney, TX)

It was June 3rd 2010, it was my last day of school. I am a 5th grade teacher at a charter school in south Dallas. I had talked to my son the evening before as he was on his way to school. Anthony, went to a auto technician school about 45 minutes from our home. He was a night school student and went to school from 7pm to 12:30 a.m. I was often nervous about him going to school that late and that far from home. I put him in God's hands and would not allow myself to worry about him. Anthony was having some car trouble and told me that he was going to get a ride with a friend and the guy who he knew that went to the school and lived in our same area would be giving him a ride home that day. I tried to convince to take my car (his dad had driven it to work and was already home). He kept telling me no, I will be fine. I kept trying to convince him but he kept saying no and finally told me "Mom, I got this". We got off the phone a little bit angry at each other. We did however say our customary "I Love You's". The next day I got up to go to work and did not see his keys on the key ring. I refused to get nervous and almost didn't go upstairs to check on him. I decided to go upstairs and to my surprise I did not see him in his bed like I expected. I went downstairs and asked my husband if he knew of Anthony spending the night out. He had never just not come home. We started calling around and no one had seen him. We called police stations and hospitals in the cities between his school and home. Nothing. My husband and I were contemplating making a missing persons report when my husband went outside and saw a police officer in our neighborhood (which was very rare). He flagged the officer down and told the officer that we were looking for our son. The officer got information and told my husband for us to stay put he would be back in about 15 minutes. In about 15 minutes I saw a police car pull up in front of the house through the open garage and started to walk out to the driveway. I yelled to my husband that the officer was back. I was expecting for him to come and take a report but I noticed three cars, two police cars and a civillian car. I still didn't think that anything bad happened. I noticed the non- police officer had a paper on his hand. We asked him if everything was okay and as I asked that I saw the word DECEASED on the paper. He then proceeded to tell me that my precious son had died that early morning in a car accident. I can't explain the pain that ripped through my heart and continues on a consistent basis.


We found out that they young man that was giving him a ride home from school had been drinking and driving at excessive speeds. They left school early and met another classmate at Applebee's to eat and drink. The two guys and my son Anthony. The driver stated emphatically that Anthony did not drink anything but ate only. He and the other guy had been drinking. They left Applebee's around 2:15 a.m. heading back home and a witness stated that the car was going extremely fast and lost control and flipped many times before ending up in a drainage ditch. My son, died according to the death certificate on impact. The driver lived and came out of the wreck with only a couple of scratches. He is only serving 6 months in the Dallas County Jail and will be on a strict 10 year felony probation. If he sneezes wrong he will go to prison for 20 years. Both my husband and I have chosen to forgive this young man. His blood alcohol level when tested 3 1/2 hours later was 0.7. I am left devastasted but I have to say that my trust is in my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He has helped walk us through this painful year and will continue to lead and guide my family as we walk through the pain of losing our Son, brother, grandson, nephew, friend. Anthony was a special young man whom I loved soooo much. Words can't describe the pain that often shoots through my heart when reality smacks me in the face of him being gone. I rest in the fact that I will one day be reunited with him in Eternity never separated again!!!