Photo Of Fatal Text Message Shared By Parents Of Alexander Heit

An image of a fatal text message, unsent by car crash victim Alexander Heit, has been shared by his parents — in hopes the picture will serve as a reminder to drivers that texting while driving can and does kill motorists and passengers.

Alexander Heit, 22, was a college student in Colorado. The fatal text message was composed on April 3, the day Heit was killed in accident near Greeley.

The image of the fatal text message, unfinished and very mundane in its content, might resonate with anyone who has tapped out a quick in-transit SMS. To a friend, Heit had begun to say:

“Sounds good my man, seeya soon, ill tw.”

It appears that, as Heit typed the fatal text, his vehicle drifted dangerously close to oncoming traffic. What may have been an evasive maneuver seems to have followed, and Heit’s car swerved off the road entirely before flipping and killing the 22-year-old.

Police say that those who witnessed the crash report Heit appearing to have been looking down before the crash, looking up only as he realized his car had drifted. An apparent attempt to avoid a collision led to the fatal crash as he jerked the wheel, and he died of injuries sustained in the rollover at a nearby hospital.

Matt’s mother Sharon Heit says of the decision to release a picture of the fatal text message:

“I can’t bear the thought of anyone else having to go through something like this … Please, vow to never, never text and drive. In a split second you could ruin your future, injure or kill others, and tear a hole in the heart of everyone who loves you.”

Police Chief Jerry Garner also commented, saying that few people realize how quickly a fatal text can occur and that most drivers don’t realize how rapidly dangerous texting while driving can become:

“Unfortunately, when we think to ourselves, ‘I’ll just do it this one time,’ we are fooling ourselves. This “one time” may be the only time. The Heit’s are sharing their tragedy and loss, in hope that through Alex’s story, others may realize and recognize just how dangerous texting and driving is.”

Heit’s fatal text message is pictured above.