Mother shares son’s story to help others struggling in silence - KCBD

Riley got a DWI at 19, and his mother says he never fully forgave himself for it. Renee remembers him as strong, positive and a perfectionist, the kind of guy who told her "I got it, Mom" whenever she worried about him. She never expected to lose him on August 18th, 2015.

The night before he died, Renee told Riley everything was going to be okay. The plan was simple. The next day, the two of them were going to work on getting that DWI off his record. That conversation stuck with her, and it is part of why she is speaking out now.

Renee's message lands hard for anyone in Lubbock who has watched a loved one carry guilt they refuse to talk about. She wants people to trust their gut when something feels off with someone they love, even when that person insists they are fine. Her son's story is a push for families here to look closer and ask harder questions before it is too late, right up until the night before they were supposed to fix things together.