ST PAUL, Minn. — "He had a great smile, he was funny, he was good at sports," said crash survivor, Roy Adams Jr. "It's a whole new year, and everything starts over, but not for Kevin."
Adams Jr. spoke at a tree stump outside a home on Upper Afton Road near Battle Creek Place in St. Paul.
"At the time I was in shock, but over time it gets different," said Tom Brockway, Kevin's dad.
Tom and Roy reunite to remember the life of Kevin Brockway.
"Every new year, I would call but we didn't hang out really, I regret that, but you can make up for lost time," said Roy.
Kevin, who was 16 at the time, went to a party at a friend's house back on New Year's Eve of 1997.
Kevin and Roy both left with Kevin driving.
He eventually lost control of his car, leaving the road and hitting a tree.
According to officials, Kevin's BAC was 0.22, which was twice the legal limit at the time, for anyone of age.
"I was 16 and I had to relearn everything, I couldn't walk, I could talk but not good, since the last 25 years, life's hard," said Roy. "What's sad is the survivors guilt, why did I live, why did he die," he said.
"If he wouldn't of survived there would be no way I could do anything," said Tom.
While they are moving forward through tragedy, both have a message against impaired driving. In hopes - it will help save lives.
"Don't drink and drive," said Tom. "Be smart about it, with all Ubers and Lyft's and all the means of transportation, be smart," said Roy.
The Brockway Bill, also known as "Kevin's Law" was passed back in 1999.
It increases the crime of giving alcohol to someone underage from a gross misdemeanor to a felony - in cases where the minor causes death or great bodily harm.
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