# The only child killed on Albany Highway

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-chinese-student-killed-drunk-driver
- Themes: grief, road safety, drink-driving, death
- Life situations: sudden death, loss of an only child, drink-driving

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

One of the hardest funerals Ajahn Brahm ever gave: a young woman from mainland China, an only child, graduates in Perth and brings over her parents, who have sacrificed everything for her education and speak no English. A week or two after they arrive, walking along Albany Highway in Kelmscott, she is hit and killed by a speeding drunk driver who lost control — through no fault of her own.

## The story, as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)

One of the worst funerals I ever tal I gave here was uh this poor uh it was she was a Chinese girl, you know, from mainland China. I'll never forget this. It was really difficult for me cuz I felt really sort of devastated too. I'm sympathetic. I've got empathy for people. Chinese girl studying over here, managed to graduate and invited her parents. It's another one child policy. She was the only child. Invited her parents to migrate to Perth. And they'd only just come and maybe about a week. They couldn't speak any English, just no Chinese. And she was walking down the street in Kelcott on the Albany Highway. A drunk driver lost control of the car and smashed into her and killed her. And that was the parents hope in life. They sacrificed everything. I mean literally everything to get their child a good education and to send her to Australia to pay all her bills and fees. Now she was successful and one or two weeks after coming here. The child had died through no fault fault of her own. A drunk driver speeding lost control. It was just so sad. And every time I think about it, please, you know, don't speed, don't get drunk.

## Teaching point

Speed and drink kill; if you were caught speeding, be grateful — it may have saved a life.

## Reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)

A young graduate had just brought her parents to Perth when a speeding drunk driver killed her on Albany Highway; Ajahn Brahm calls it one of his hardest funerals. Out of that grief comes a plain plea: don't speed, don't drink and drive. If you were ever caught, be grateful; it may have saved a life.

## Source

- [I Don't Own My Past | by Ajahn Brahm | 03 May 2013](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcSaCfuH-GU) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 18:06 to 19:38: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcSaCfuH-GU&t=1086s

Other tellings of this story:

- [Sex and Booze | Ajahn Brahm | 01-07-2011](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKQfkUXfx4Y) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 8:22 to 10:42: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKQfkUXfx4Y&t=502s