2018-10-01_Reader_s_Digest_AUNZ

42 | October• 2018

DRAMA IN REAL LIFE

S

am Lethbridge squinted

through the smudged

windscreen of his white

SUVasalightdrizzlefell.

he 17 year old had spent

the night with his mates in Wyoming

ontheCentralCoastandwasnow

makingthe40-minutedrivetohis

home in Lake Macquarie.

It was 4.30am. Life was good. Sam

had passed his driving test in Octo-

berandhadownedhisowncarfor

fourmonths,asmallHyundaiix35.

AndonFridayhe’djustsignedupto

anewelectricalandaircondition-

ingapprenticeship.Aftercelebrating

with friends, playing on the Play-

Station and hanging out at McDon-

ald’s,hewasheadinghomealong the

familiar road towards bed.

With the clock ticking,

three fathers joined

forces to search for a

youngdriverfearedlost

in the Australian bush

A keen boxer, soccer player and

gym-goer, Sam was extremelyit. He

never drank alcohol or took drugs. As

he drove along the dark highway, he

took a swig from the large bottle of wa-

ter he always carried to stay hydrated

• good habits that were to save his life.
  Sam’sparents,TonyandLeigh,
  were away for a weekend in Can-
  berra,theirsttimethey’dlefttheir
  three children unattended. Sam’s
  oldersiblingsLuke,21,andMegan,
  19,wereathome,andSam,always
  reliable and responsible, had let them
  know his plans for the evening. He’d
  also texted his girlfriend during the
  evening:See you tomorrow at 12.
  Hewasnearinghome,justten
  more minutes to go. hick trees lined
  the road and there were no other cars

BY HELEN SIGNY

PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES