Prom can be one of the biggest nights of a teen’s young-adult life. Between the sparkly dresses, limo rides, dinner with friends, and dancing ’til the sun comes up, the spring high school festivity is certainly a night to remember.
However, for Maddie Finch’s parents, their daughter’s prom in May of 2017 was a nightmare they’ll never forget.
Maddie, a vibrant cheerleader with eyes of blue and a heart of gold, was driving home from her after-prom on that fateful night when tragedy struck.
“She had been awake since like 7 a.m. [24] hours earlier so she was on her way home,” recalls her mom, Courtney Allmon. “She was very close to home and she fell asleep.”
The junior at New Berlin High School in New Berlin, Illinois was on her way to her dad’s house, Richard Finch, when she passed out at the wheel, crossing the median and ultimately colliding with a semi-truck.
Maddie’s bright future was cut short in a split-second, as she died upon impact.
![Pinterest](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://faithit.com/grieving-parents-urge-pick-kids-up-prom-teen-daughter-dies-tired-driving/&media=https://faithit.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/maddie4.16.jpg&description="I don't care if it's not cool. I don’t care if your friends are there and they see me pick you up. We are going to pick you up. We are going to drive you home. We are going to get you home safe. And we are going to have you for another day."){kind=link}
“This is the best night of their lives before they leave for their lives you know their big careers,” said Courtney. “Be that parent that picks them up and says ‘Let’s go home and go to bed.'”
A post-mortem toxicology report showed that her daughter’s system was clean, reflecting no traces of drugs or alcohol. She was also not texting and driving.