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This episode of Survival in the Trenches: Life Beyond Loss features Steve Kiefer, founder of the Kiefer Foundation, who shares his heartbreaking yet inspiring journey after losing his son, Mitchel, to a distracted driving accident. Steve discusses the mission of his foundation, which works to raise awareness, advocate for legislation, and promote technology to eliminate distracted driving. Through resilience and purpose, Steve turns tragedy into action, championing initiatives that save lives and inspire others to make a difference.
This episode is a must-listen for parents, young drivers, and anyone who has ever been tempted to use their phone while behind the wheel. It offers a powerful reminder of the devastating consequences of distracted driving and provides actionable insights into how we can all help combat this issue. By listening, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of how small changes in behavior and advocacy can lead to safer roads and saved lives.
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️ Introduction and Background (00:00 – 10:13)
Kiefer Foundation and Distracted Driving (10:13 – 21:20)
Technology and Legislation (21:20 – 32:21)
Global Perspective and Future Goals (32:21 – 43:54)
If you’re facing mental health struggles, emotional distress, alcohol or drug use concerns, or just need someone to talk to, call or text 988.
Caring counselors are there for you. You are not alone.
It was 11:02pm. And it was Dale’s phone calling me. It was his friend. She found him in his apartment, and basically told me that he was in really bad shape. He was really hurt. I asked if she could help him, and she said, “No, I can’t.” And I just said, “Help him! Why can’t you help?”
I couldn’t even comprehend what she was trying to tell me. And a police officer got on the phone and confirmed who I was and then confirmed the news that Dale was gone. And so there I was in my hotel room, out of town, by myself.
“I often refer to myself as a recovering distracted driver. In the summer of 2016, I was as bad as anyone—steering with my knee, drinking coffee with one hand, and holding my phone with the other, thinking I was doing it safely. That all changed in an instant when I got the phone call about Mitchel. He was just a month into college, driving on a clear, dry morning, when a distracted driver rear-ended his car. It was preventable. It’s devastating to think how one glance at a phone can end a life.”
We’re all going to get damaged in some way. And we know that going into this, whether it be physically, mentally, emotionally, nobody walks away from this job unscathed. They just don’t. And I think that recognizing that early on can help prepare you for the inevitable difficulties you’re going to face down the line.
“People view it as they were in control, that it wasn’t dealt to them, they dealt it onto themselves. And I don’t think we know enough about mental health and the strength it has in making those decisions. It’s not about being weak. It’s not about not being loved. It’s about fighting a daily battle, a battle most people don’t understand.”
“When you have a child that dies, you’re desperately afraid that they’re going to be forgotten.
When you have a child that dies by suicide, you’re so afraid that they’re going to be reduced to that one decision that they made that one moment in time.”
