DUI-convicted inmate to Airmen: 'Don't be like me'

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Stacy Fowler
  • 1st Special Operations Wing Public Affairs
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. --  More than 10 years ago, Eric Smallridge ignored the warnings to not drink and drive. In fact, he'd done it 50 times before without any issues.

But the last time he made that decision, he destroyed his dreams as well as several families' lives.

From then on, he would be the one giving those same warnings - now from a prison inmate's perspective - as he did for Airmen of 1st Special Operations Aircraft Maintenance Squadron on Hurlburt Field Nov. 5.

"All it takes is one second's bad decision and you will be like me," said Smallridge, who is serving 11 years in prison for a drunk-driving conviction. "I had a plan for my life. I had dreams of being a successful businessman and father - and I threw it all away. I can never be like you; you spend your lives protecting your family and friends from enemies. But if you do what I did, you become the enemy."

On May 11, 2002, Smallridge decided he wasn't "that drunk" and drove home in Pensacola, Fla. He lost control of his car and struck another vehicle. The people inside, Meagan Napier and Lisa Dickson, died instantly.

"When Eric took my daughter's life, I didn't know if I would survive the grief," said Meagan's mother, Renee, who also spoke at the presentation. "My family spent 18 months before the trial praying for what is fair and just. Eric received 22 years [in jail], 11 for Meagan and 11 for Lisa. But my heart was still heavy because nobody could win. It didn't matter how long he was in jail, it wouldn't bring them back."

That could have been the end of the story for Smallridge. But then Renee did what she thought Meagan would want her to do: forgive Smallridge and beg the judge for leniency. She was able get his sentence restructured to two concurrent 11-year sentences, which will end Nov. 26.

"People went crazy when I forgave Eric, and even more so when I begged the judge to lessen the sentence," Renee said. "I wasn't forgiving him for his crime - he will live with what he did for the rest of his life - but you can't heal if you don't forgive. Anger, hate and bitterness will eat you up like cancer. I wanted Eric to be in prison long enough so that he would never do it again, but not long enough that he came out with a criminal's mindset."

Because of the debt he now owed, Smallridge vowed to help Renee in her fight against drinking and driving. Together they travelled to high schools, colleges and military bases around Florida telling their story.

Master Sgt. Stephen Proud, a flight chief of 1st SOAMXS, knew this story better than most, and saw this as a great opportunity for the young (and not so young) Airmen of his unit.

"I know their story through my wife, she was a sorority sister to Lisa and friend to Meagan," he said. "A lot of lives were destroyed because of one bad decision. By hearing from the offender I hope Airmen will gain a new perspective on how they could be the one going to jail when they think 'That won't happen to me.' And unfortunately, that thinking isn't limited to the younger crowd, because we all have those thoughts."

While many anti-drunk driving briefings highlight numbers and third-party perspectives, this briefing focused on face-to-face testimonies from the people directly affected by a DUI tragedy.

"This story was different than the typical videotaped story of a parent talking about losing their child or a health worker talking about the dangers of alcohol," Proud said. "This story had the offender talk about how his life was affected and the humiliation he had to endure through the trial and prison."

Smallridge said he will never forget the consequences of one decision and wants to stop anyone else from making the same mistake.

"There are those at this presentation thinking 'that won't be me' or 'that isn't me,'" Smallridge said. "But those are the people who need this the most. It's not really arrogance or thinking that it just can't happen; most of us just don't want to think about the possibility that we're not invincible. Don't be like me ... when that one decision comes around, make the good one so you won't ever have to go through what I've gone through."