LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — It’s a heartbreak no parent should have to go through — the loss of a child.
On Sept. 16, 2021, Markisha Davis lost her 14-year-old son in a car crash. North Las Vegas police say the driver was impaired. Now, that grieving mother wants to honor his memory and send a message to the community.
The life of Vernon Curry was cut short at the intersection of Lake Mead Boulevard and Walnut Road. The teen was on his way to Desert Pines High School but never made it. He was a passenger in one of the three vehicles involved in the crash.
According to police, the driver of a box truck, Derek Herman, ran a red light causing the crash. He was arrested for DUI.
Davis said she wants drivers to understand the consequences of their actions and is asking drivers to slow down, to pay attention, and to never drink and drive.
“You’re not going to get there any faster, you can take a life and you don’t know what you’re doing to other people’s families. That guy bailed out and what that guy did to me and my family, he will never know what he took because nothing impacted his life like mine. My 14-year-old son died and he was excited for school, he wanted to go to the army. He had a bright future,” Davis said.
She hopes her message will resonate with people and make an impact on drivers. Davis said her son was young and just starting his freshman year. He was excited about his future and eventually wanted to become a nurse.