Good evening, friends and family, ladies and gentlemen, administrators and teachers. Before I get started, I would like to take a moment to thank all of you sitting here tonight for giving me this opportunity to speak in front of you on this special occasion and to live my greatest dream of all by doing it. It seems like just yesterday that I went shopping for homecoming dresses with my two best friends, Sarah and Brittany. What started as a trip to the mall turned into the worst night of my life. Nothing could compare to that moment. As many of you know, we were hit by a drunk driver who ran the red light in front of Safeway. I was driving, with Sarah sitting next to me and Brittany sitting behind her. The next thing I remember was waking up in the hospital, surrounded by my family. I learned that Sarah had been killed and Brittany was in a coma. She never woke up. The truck had hit the passenger side of my car at over 70 miles per hour. I was devastated and couldn't believe I had managed to stay alive. I felt immense guilt that I had lived and Sarah and Brittany had not. I know that you probably don't want to be reminded of this moment on what is supposed to be one of the happiest days our our lives, but that moment changed everything for me. I stopped partying with friends, I stopped slacking off, I stopped ignoring my teachers. I turned my life around by looking at is as my one chance to do something good in this world. Something to help people remember Sarah and Brittany. I was given this chance to live, and I decided it would be a shame to waste it on anything less than my best. Now I am standing here, which in itself is a feat, since I spent 6 months in physical therapy after the accident. My challenge for you is to think of your life as one grand opportunity. You may not be rich, skinny, beautiful, smart, strong, powerful, or famous, but you are something. Something important. Something meaningful. Something worthwhile. You are a person with the ability to make change, save lives, live to the fullest. Take nothing for granted. This life is one big adventure, so take it. And let others take theirs as well. Make good decisions—decisions that you can live with. You don't have to be a rockstar or a genius, a supermodel or a scientist. Just be you, and be a you that leaves the world a little brighter. Graduation is a new start with new opportunities. This community will always be incredibly thankful for all that you have done and will never forget the smiling, spirited faces that brightened each and every day. This community is a family. We take care of each other. As a class, we have been through more than we could have imagined in these past four years. Some more difficult to face than others. Yet we are sitting here for a reason. We are here because of our goals and dreams that have pushed us to accomplish all things. Look into the stands and to others around you, class of 2013. Every single person sitting here tonight sees something in you and believes that you will do great things in your lives. It doesn't matter what your plans are, or what you consider to be "great things." Just remember that you can. You can try, you can fail, you can try again. Success isn't measured in dollar bills. No matter what path you choose to follow as you progress into your future, you will be the best that you can be. Not only am I excited to see what lies ahead, I know that the people sitting here today and the people that support you feel the same way about you, class of 2013. We all believe in you. Let’s make them proud and give our lives everything that we have to give because you never know what good things may come out of them. Congratulations, Class of 2013. And thank you.