Survivors Share Heartbreaking Stories to Help Teens Make Safer Choices on Manitoba Roads

WINNIPEG — Two Manitobans whose lives were forever changed by dangerous driving are sharing their stories with young people across the province this month, as part of Manitoba Public Insurance’s annual Friends For Life speaker series.

Jon Tiessen was hit head-on by an impaired driver while driving home from watching a hockey game, an instant that changed the trajectory of his life. Sandra LaRose lost her teenage daughter to distracted driving. Now, both are on a mission to prevent others from suffering the same pain.

The two-week Friends For Life tour kicked off Nov. 3 and will reach 20 schools across Manitoba, including stops in Hamiota, Carberry, Powerview, Erickson and Winnipeg.

Jon, his sister Rosalie Finch, and Sandra will speak directly to students about how one choice behind the wheel can lead to lifelong consequences, highlighting three major contributing factors to deaths on Manitoba roads: speeding, impaired driving and distracted driving.

“Choices have the power to take you anywhere you want to go,” Jon said. “But choices also have the power to disrupt and even derail the goals and plans of your family, your friends, and those you don’t even know. Make good choices.”

“It takes a strong person to talk about the most traumatic thing they have endured,” said Maria Campos, Vice President and Chief Customer and Product Officer at MPI. “These speakers are taking a devastating experience and using it to advocate for change, to help prevent similar tragedies from happening to others. Unfortunately, the data shows far too many people are having to deal with tragedy and loss from preventable incidents on our roadways, so these conversations are vitally important.”

MPI statistics underscore why these conversations are urgent. Young Manitobans are 2.4 times more likely to be involved in a severe collision involving alcohol impairment than other age groups. On average, 41 youth are injured in speed-related collisions each year. In 2024 alone, 49 people were killed in distracted driving crashes, and there were 2,951 collisions where speed was a factor. Impairment contributed to 175 collisions. Ninety-one people were killed on Manitoba roadways in 2024, and 60 fatalities have already been recorded so far in 2025.

In February 1998, Jon and a friend were driving home from watching the Canada vs. Finland hockey game when an impaired driver, traveling more than 120 km/h, swerved into their lane and hit them head-on. Jon suffered severe head trauma. After years of surgeries and rehabilitation, he became a physiotherapist specializing in head injuries, helping others walk the same difficult path he once faced.

Rosalie Finch has been by his side ever since. She saw her brother on life support and witnessed his long recovery firsthand. Her story focuses on how impaired driving doesn’t just harm one person, it ripples through entire families and communities.

Sandra LaRose’s 16-year-old daughter, Kailynn, died after being struck by a train while distracted by her phone. After six agonizing days in the hospital, Sandra said goodbye to her daughter, a moment that changed her forever.

Determined to turn pain into purpose, she founded the Sharing Kailynn’s Sunshine Foundation Inc. to honour Kailynn’s giving spirit and raise awareness about road and rail safety. Her message to students is personal, raw and unforgettable: distracted driving kills.

The Friends For Life program is designed to reach teens at a critical point in their driving journey, helping them understand that every action behind the wheel matters. Through real stories of loss and survival, MPI hopes to change dangerous behaviours before they lead to tragedy.

“Road safety isn’t just about rules and statistics,” Campos said. “It’s about people, families, and futures.”

» Winnipeg Sun