Father of Newlyweds Killed Wants Drivers To Be Aware Of Drowsy Driving

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Theirs was the kind of relationship many people dream about.

(Photo courtesy: John Moffat)

That’s why many people weren’t surprised when 28-year-old Amy Moffat and 30-year-old Stephen Graham got married earlier this month.

“It was a real, real love affair. This was a true love story,” said John Moffat, who is Amy’s father.

We spoke to John Moffat at his California home about their beautiful wedding that was held on the Sundance side of Timpanogos.

“She was holding hands with Stephen, but the other hand was tightly held around his arm, as if, ‘I’ve got you now and I’m not letting you go,’” said John Moffat.

They had their whole lives together, she from Provo and he from Riverton, until they were in Washington earlier this week and died in a car crash.

Washington State police say Amy Moffat was driving, fell asleep, overcorrected and rolled their pickup truck.

Amy Moffat

They died at the scene.

Even though they were both wearing their seatbelts, the force of the crash was just too much.

Her father is asking other drivers to get rest, don’t drive tired, and if you feel like you’re drifting asleep, don’t try to push your way through.

He doesn’t want any other parents to get the news he received.

“How many of us have driven like that when we thought we should’ve pulled over? Please pull over. Take a rest, find a hotel and get a room for the night,” he said.

It’s a message officials with the Utah Department of Transportation’s Zero Fatalities Program can’t stress enough.

“You definitely don’t want to get the phone call that a crash has happened,” said Kristen Hoschouer, a safety outreach administrator with the Zero Fatalities Program.

Hoschouer said drowsy driving is one of several safety concerns the state has.

So far this summer, 96 people have died on Utah’s roads for all sorts of reasons. That’s 13 more than last year.

Overall this year, Utah is at 179 fatalities, which is three more than this time last year.

“It’s one of the most dangerous things you can do all day is get behind the wheel, and so, really, just focus on that,” said Hoschouer.

That’s what the families of Amy and Stephen are now asking… to be safe.

Her father says if there is anything positive about such a terrible crash, it’s at least one of them didn’t get the news he got.

“My wife and I were discussing how difficult it would’ve been if one of them survived and had to go their lives without the other,” he said.