Mother lost son Jordan, 18, after he drunk drove to Gold Coast killing himself and four others

‘He made a choice:’ Mother reveals why she can’t mourn the death of her son, 18, after he slammed into a broken down car while drunk – killing himself and four other teenagers

  • Melissa McGuinness lost her 18-year-old son Jordan when he crashed in 2012
  • Jordan’s car smashed into a broken down vehicle on the side of Gold Coast’s M1 
  • Broken down car had five teenagers in it, four of whom died along with Jordan
  • Mrs McGuinness dedicates her life to urging teens not to make same mistakes 

A heartbroken mother feels she has no right to grieve the death of her son who killed himself and four other teenagers when he got behind the wheel drunk and caused a fiery smash.  

Melissa McGuinness lost her 18-year-old son Jordan after made the fatal decision to drink drive home to the Gold Coast after celebrating a Christmas party in Brisbane on December 8, 2012. 

Jordan’s car smashed into the back of a broken down vehicle on the side of the M1 highway which had five teenagers in it, four of whom died along with Jordan.   

Two of the teenagers were parents and left behind a 15-month-old baby. 

‘I almost felt like I didn’t have a right to grieve. My son was responsible for the death of four other kids,’ Mrs McGuinness told A Current Affair.  

Jordan (pictured) decided to drive back home from Brisbane and was under the influence of marijuana while speeding down the M1 highway

Melissa McGuinness (left) lost her 18-year-old son Jordan after he decided to drunk drive back home to the Gold Coast after celebrating a Christmas party on December 8, 2012

Melissa McGuinness (left) lost her 18-year-old son Jordan after he decided to drunk drive back home to the Gold Coast after celebrating a Christmas party on December 8, 2012

‘Who am I to sit here and grieve? Those kids were innocent kids. He was 2.5 times over the legal limit. I just felt so upset that he’d done this.’ 

The force of the crash was so significant the car went up the guard rail before exploding in flames. 

Jordan’s stepfather Peter and Mrs McGuinness agreed drink driving ‘was not normal behaviour’ for the teenager, but said that didn’t diminish his responsibility.     

‘The people that Jordan ran into that night and killed. They had an accident. Jordan in fact made a choice,’ his stepfather said.   

The 18-year-old had been drinking and was under the influence of marijuana while speeding down the M1 highway (pictured the accident)

The 18-year-old had been drinking and was under the influence of marijuana while speeding down the M1 highway (pictured the accident)

Jordan died after his car crashed into a broken down vehicle on the M1 highway. He was under the influence of marijuana and had been drinking and speeding

Jordan died after his car crashed into a broken down vehicle on the M1 highway. He was under the influence of marijuana and had been drinking and speeding 

Six years on, Mrs McGuinness has dedicated her life to teaching teenagers about the dangers of drink and drug driving. 

‘I know he would be so upset and horrified that this is the legacy that he’s left for himself,’ she said. 

She speaks to assemblies full of students to to them her son ‘died in shame’ and that his ‘stupid’ choice to drive home under the influence could be any of them. 

‘The thing with… Jordan is he’s relatable because he’s just like any other other kid there that’s sitting in that auditorium… and I’m also relatable as the mum,’ she said.

‘[Through Jordan they’re shown] this great kid that made this one stupid choice that could be any of those kids. Any of them.

‘I know he would be enormously proud that his death would not be in vain and neither would those other four.’ 

Six years on, Mrs McGuinness has dedicated her life to teaching teenagers about the dangers of drink and drug driving

Six years on, Mrs McGuinness has dedicated her life to teaching teenagers about the dangers of drink and drug driving

'I know he would be enormously proud that his death would not be in vain and neither would those other four'

‘I know he would be enormously proud that his death would not be in vain and neither would those other four’

 

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