‘We had to be strong…’ 
A Courageous Family Carries on After the Death of a Beloved Mother, Daughter and Sister in a Drunk Driving Crash

Michelle Tull's Senseless Death at the Hands of a Drunk Driver
When someone is killed in a drunk driving crash, family and friends are clearly devastated. In some families, the far-reaching impact of such a death seems endless. The case of 32-year-old Michelle Tull, of Madill, Oklahoma is one example.

Those most affected by her traumatic October 18, 2004 death were her immediate family – her parents, her three children and her three siblings, including a twin brother. The crash also changed another life forever: drunk driver Craig McClain, Michelle’s husband, who was convicted of first-degree manslaughter and sentenced to serve four years.

Michelle’s children, ages 12, 11 and 9 at the time of the crash, have lived with their grandparents ever since. “I’m not the only one,” says Michelle’s mother, Debbie Tull. “It’s everywhere. As a nurse, I see it all the time – grandparents raising kids.” 

Community Support
Friends in Madill generously supported the Tulls with meals, money and a houseful of gifts at Christmas. The couple spent two years going to hearings in Cleveland County, two hours away. Eventually, they “had to go away and start over.” Debbie and her husband, Bobby, who is disabled and has suffered multiple heart attacks, moved with the three children from Madill to Poteau, 200 miles away in eastern Oklahoma.

All three grandchildren now see a psychologist weekly and a psychiatrist every three months. Michelle’s oldest son was suicidal, and her daughter has lots of anger.

Staying Strong for the Kids
How do the Tulls manage to get through it all? “You do what you’ve got to do,” Debbie says. “We had to be strong for her kids. And Michelle knew she had to be strong and leave her abusive marriage. She had already suffered because of it, and her husband was angry that she was planning to leave.”

Michelle is buried in Madill, next to an older brother who died at the age of 3. The day she died Michelle had just found out that she had breast cancer in both breasts. Her life was an endless series of struggles; her death a violent tragedy that leaves her courageous family to carry on. 

Learn more about MADD Victim Services. Call our Victim/Survivor Helpline at 1-877-MADD-HELP (877-623-3435) to speak with a Victim Advocate.

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