The Peru Gazette

Bailey Wind will be speaking to the Peru Jr/Sr High School student body on May 12th at 9:30 am. Bailey had just signed her letter of intent with the University of Tennessee’s Swimming and Diving team when on December 1, 2012, at the age of 17 and a senior at Shaker High School in Latham, New York, Bailey was one of two survivors in a fatal, highly published crash on the Northway. The SUV Bailey was traveling in was hit from behind by a drunk, high, texting and speeding driver and skidded across three lanes of the Northway, flipped multiple times, crashing roof first into two trees in the median. Bailey was trapped for over two hours in a fetal-like position with a broken neck, broken jaw, knocked out teeth, bilateral pulmonary contusions, and bleeding on the brain. Bailey’s boyfriend and good friend, who were also traveling in the SUV with her, were killed on impact.

In May 2014, Bailey began speaking to area high schools as an advocate against drunk, impaired and distracted driving. She has since spoken voluntarily at twenty high schools at their request, as well as at the request of the NYS Police, Saratoga County Sheriff’s office, Cornell Cooperatives, and Choices301. Bailey has also spoken at a program designed to hold young drivers responsible for their driving offenses called Alive @ 25 in Saratoga County. Bailey received a community hero’s award for her advocacy efforts, appeared in the nationally syndicated show The Real Winning Edge and wrote a self-published book with local freelance writer Chris Graf entitled, Save Me A Spot in Heaven, as a loving tribute to her boyfriend. Bailey, now 19 years old, recently finished her sophomore year as a communications major at the University of Tennessee and plans to continue to be an advocate to use her voice for all victims against such a preventable crime. She volunteers to tell her story in hopes of making a positive difference that helps reduce injuries and ultimately saves lives.