It was a normal start to the day for 34-year-old Courtney Ann Sanford, who was known for being a great driver.
But her death was sudden.
As her favorite Pharrell Williams song, “Happy,” played on the radio, she felt a rush of happiness. Courtney posted a selfie on Facebook with the words “This song makes me happy!” to show how happy she was. That split-second choice was fatal.
Not long after that, Courtney’s car hit a truck going about 60 km/h. Her car went into a ditch and then a tree because of the force. Her car caught on fire in the terrible aftermath, and she tragically died while trapped inside.
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When her family found out, they saw her last Facebook post, which happened to be at a strange time. The police confirmed, “The post was made at 8:33 AM.” The emergency call came in at 8:34 AM.
Courtney’s tragic death shows how dangerous it is to drive while distracted. The lesson from her story is clear: “When you’re driving, pay attention to the road.”