Mother warns drivers

LAWRENCE COUNTY, Ill. (WTHI) - Two years ago, JB Breen had a lot to be proud of.

He was a United States Marine and a father to an adorable 2-year-old little girl, Keely.

However, one night it all changed..

"At 9:22 pm Sunday night, March 15th, my cell phone rang and that's when our nightmare began. That's when our whole life changed," JB's mother Teresa Breen said.

In an instant, he left everything behind, all because he responded to a text message.

"Here he was this big rough, tough, marine, and all's it took was that little cell phone, that little bitty device to change our life forever," Breen said.

JB was sending a text message, when his car hit a culvert. He was ejected from his car, and later died from his injuries.

Now, Teresa is devoting her life to getting the message out about how dangerous texting while driving really is, in hopes of saving at least one life.

She's teaming up with Good Samaritan Hospital, speaking at different schools, and doing whatever she can to help people of all ages know, that it can happen to you.

"I don't have to ever know you, I don't ever have to know if it did, but the next time you pick up that phone and when it goes off in your car, just think of me, and what I've lost and what I have to go through, what my family goes through," she said

Now, when she says good bye to you, on her voicemail message, and while telling her story, she reminds us...

"Think before you text, think before you pick up that phone. Just don't do it."

JB was just 23 years old.

His father told him just before the accident that he was spending too much time on his cell phone.

Teresa has also worked with AT&T, and USA Today.

She says she will continue working with Good Samaritan Hospital until there's a change.