JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Nearly a year after her husband’s death, Stephanie Doty shared the heartbreaking story of how a drunk driver crashed into the dream home she and her late husband bought together.
From the street, the damage is not immediately visible, but inside on Lourdes Drive, the impact is clear.
Doty points to what was once her dining room, now a makeshift kitchen after a Nissan Titan driven by a drunk driver crashed right through the wall.
“I was in New Orleans, and Mickey was pet sitting for me, and she had just went to bed, and she heard what sounded like a gunshot, and then like an explosion. She came out, two dogs here and a cat. She came out and the walls were gone,” Doty said.
The force of the crash shook the entire cinder block house, cracking walls throughout and raising concerns about the foundation. The fence outside also suffered serious damage.
The crash happened the day before the anniversary of her husband’s death, making the incident even more painful. Wesley Doty passed away on Sept. 21, 2024, after battling an aggressive form of melanoma cancer.
“He bought it because this was going to be our forever home,” Doty said. “He was the best man I’ve ever met in my life. He supported everyone and took care of everyone, including me.”
Family friends have started a GoFundMe to support Stephanie during this difficult time.
“I’m a very emotional person anyway, but it just hurts your heart,” she said. “He’s gone, and I don’t know what to do. Then somebody literally runs into your safe place, your home, your quiet place.”
Doty hoped to rebuild the home and keep the memory of her husband at the center of it all.