Our Story

On December 17, 2021, our family’s world shattered.

Dawn Simmons and her three youngest children, Lindy (20), Christopher (17), and Kamryn (15), were driving home from a basketball game in Monroe, Louisiana. Christopher played for Acadiana Christian School, and his team was undefeated for the first time in school history. His girlfriend, Marissa, was with them.

On the way home, they were struck head-on by a wrong-way driver traveling 80 to 90 miles per hour on I-49 South. The man behind the wheel, John Lundy, was intoxicated.
The crash happened at 9:01 p.m.

Katie’s Recount
At 10:29 p.m., I got a call from my dad. I was at a Christmas party.
He said, “Mom got in a wreck. It’s not looking good, but she’s stable.”
I rushed to the hospital, still believing my siblings would be okay. I thought, if Mom is stable, the kids are probably fine too. They are young. They will bounce back.
Nothing could have prepared us for what came next.

At Lafayette General, we were told that two people had died in the crash. I convinced myself they were in the other car. There was no way God would take one of my siblings. But when we learned the other car had only one occupant, my heart dropped.

My mom arrived with severe injuries, including a bleeding spleen, a punctured lung, two broken legs, broken ribs, a dissected artery, and more. Marissa was also seriously injured, but both of them were alive.

My siblings were not there.

We called every hospital we could think of. What we did not realize was that they had been listed as unknown patients. Their names were not showing up anywhere.
At Opelousas General, a nurse told me they had someone from a car accident I could come identify. I expected to walk into a room and see one of my siblings in a hospital bed.

Instead, they unzipped a body bag.

It was Kamryn.

She looked like she was sleeping peacefully. I remember asking, “Did they even try to save her? She looks fine.” The nurse gently explained that she arrived with every limb in her body broken. There was nothing they could do. She was pronounced dead upon arrival.

We asked about the others. The nurse stepped away, then came back and told us he found my brother. He's at Bunkie General.

I felt a small wave of relief.

I said, “Thank God he’s okay. I mean, I know he is probably hurt, but at least he is alive.”

The nurse shook his head.

No.

He told me I would need to go there to identify his body.

It was too much to understand.

I saw my baby brother lying lifeless in a hospital bed. His nose was purple. A breathing tube was still in his mouth.

My sister Lindy was still at the scene. The were unable to remove her from the car for hours.

In a matter of hours, we went from believing our mom would recover to learning that all three of the babies in our family were gone.

My dad lost his three youngest children.

My mom was unconscious and did not even know yet. Not expected to survive.

Telling her would become one of the most painful moments of our lives.

Why We Exist

This is why Simmons 3 exists.

To honor Lindy, Christopher, and Kamryn.

To raise awareness about the devastating consequences of impaired driving.

To help protect other families from experiencing this kind of loss.

Our lives changed forever in a matter of seconds.

If sharing our story prevents even one crash, one injury, or one family from living this nightmare, then their lives and their legacy will continue to make a difference.


How Our Mission Evolved

Simmons 3 was founded by Katie Derouen and her mother, Dawn Simmons, in memory of Lindy, Christopher, and Kamryn.

After losing their loved ones to impaired driving, they made the decision to turn their grief into action. In the beginning, the mission focused on raising awareness about impaired driving and the consequences it brings.

Over time, we realized something important.

Most people already know drinking and driving is dangerous. Awareness alone is not always enough. The real challenge is reaching people before the moment a decision is made.

That realization shaped the future of Simmons 3.

Today, while impaired driving remains part of our story, our mission has grown into something more proactive and prevention-focused.

Through the Beyond the Classroom Initiative, Simmons 3 reaches students before they are faced with life-altering choices. We use real stories to create awareness that stays with them long after they leave the room.

Our presentations are designed not just to inform, but to challenge.
We ask students to think ahead.
To take responsibility.
To understand how their choices affect not only themselves, but everyone around them.
Rooted in a true and deeply personal story, this experience goes beyond awareness. It focuses on identity, character, and decision-making.
Our goal is simple.
To equip the next generation with the mindset and tools to make better choices in real-life situations.
Because one decision can change everything.