It was about a year ago that Tyler Presnell was trying to launch a speaking and advocacy career by stapling together packets consisting of a short biography, letters of recommendation and photos of the horrendous crash that nearly took his life.
That endeavor will mark a significant accomplishment today: The 25-year-old Vancouver resident is in Washington, D.C., stumping on behalf of the STAND UP Act inside the halls of the U.S. Capitol.
The ground he’s covered isn’t lost on Presnell, who is scheduled today to join other safe-driving activists and U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., during a press conference at noon Eastern time.
“I’m about to step foot in Congress and speak to lawmakers,” he said. “It blows my mind.”
Presnell was brought to the nation’s capital by Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, a coalition of consumer safety groups and insurance companies. The group plans to urge Congress to pass the STAND UP Act, which would create federal legislation implementing a three-step licensing process, with limitations on new drivers lasting until at least age 18.
“I’m going to tell my story, what happened, and how if the STAND UP Act was in place I wouldn’t have been allowed in the car,” Presnell said by telephone Monday.
Eleven years ago, Presnell was in the back seat of a friend’s car when the freshly licensed driver lost control. Presnell’s door hit a telephone pole at 70 mph.
The 16-year-old driver had been trying to catch air as he drove over the so-called “roller coaster hills” near Skyview High School when he instead lost control and smashed into the pole.
Presnell spent six weeks in a coma, and has undergone 22 surgeries. He suffers short-term memory loss, depending on his audiences to help him when forgets what he’s talking about. Presnell regularly shares his story at driver’s education schools throughout the area, including a recurring role at Big John’s Driving School.
He said he’s not nervous about his most high-profile speaking appearance to date, only “excited.”
“When you taste life support, life is completely different,” Presnell said. “You don’t take things for granted anymore. You live it, feel it.”
Judie Stone, the president of Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, said Presnell was included in the stable of speakers because he represents an underrepresented bloc.
“There are deaths, and then there are brain injuries,” Stone said. “We wanted him because we have parents at this press conference who have lost their children, someone from the research community talking about the provisions of the STAND UP Act, but we didn’t have anyone who could speak about the long-term effects of brain injuries. He obviously understands that it’s important to put a face on the issue.”
Presnell and his girlfriend, Tai Telford, arrived in Washington, D.C., on Saturday. They return to Vancouver on Wednesday.
The couple has taken advantage of their first trip to the capital, walking miles on Sunday in an attempt to take in as many sights as possible.
Some experiences stand out, Presnell said: “Sitting at the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and looking at the Washington Monument — it’s breathtaking.”
