Widow Forgives, Hugs Woman Who Killed Her Husband: 'I Know She is Going Through the Same Pain,' Sandra Walker Says
The widow of a man killed in a car crash in Georgia has forgiven the woman responsible for her husband's death. During sentencing, she even made a purposeful appearance in the court so she could offer a hug to the woman before leaving the courtroom.
Tamara Matthews was behind the wheel of her minivan when it slammed into the car driven by Glen Walker. He was severely injured in the crash and died three weeks later. It's believed that he tried to protect his wife, Sandra, and children in the vehicle. He was taken to a hospital but later removed from life support.
"He's always been an inspiration and he's always been a hero to me," Glen's brother Michael told CBS. "If you knew Glen, you knew it was way too early for him, and that's the hardest thing. He gave a lot and he could have given still a whole lot more."
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Sandra suffered a life-altering brain injury and has had to learn to do things all over again. But one thing that she definitely wanted to do was let Tamara know that she forgave her. Tamara lost her 16-year-old son in the same accident. She pleaded guilty to misdemeanor counts of homicide by vehicle and failure to maintain the lane and was sentenced to 36 months of probation and 500 hours of community service.
"I know she is going through as much pain as I am feeling," Sandra told WSBTV. "I wanted her to know that I forgive her for what she did."
"I have no anger or angst towards you," Sandra said in her victim's impact statement. "Nobody set out to die that day, yet people died. Nobody set out for loss that day, but we both lost."
The two women hugged after sentencing, seemingly bringing a bit of closure to the families that have lost so much. Now Sandra and Tamara will start a new stage in their lives.
