‘That’s What I Have Left of My Daughter': Minnesota Mother Speaks Out After Daughter’s Tragic Death

Remembering a Daughter: A Changed Celebration

A Minnesota mother says birthdays no longer look the way they’re supposed to.

Instead of cake, candles, and laughter, Trish Wehling and her family now gather at a gravesite to remember her daughter, Jordan.

“We just had her 30th birthday the other day,” Wehling said. “We go out, decorate and celebrate at her gravesite. That’s what I have left of my daughter.”

A Tragic Accident and the Day Everything Changed

Jordan was 18 years old when she was killed 12 years ago after getting into a car with someone she believed would be her sober ride.

On Dec. 28, 2013, the driver of the Honda Civic Jordan was a passenger in overcorrected when a semi merged into their lane on I-35 near Elko New Market. The vehicle flipped. The driver survived. Jordan did not.

Wehling described her daughter as “a firecracker” who was small in stature but had a big personality. She says the crash instantly changed everything, not just for her family, but for Jordan’s entire circle of friends.

“That just became the most unspeakable day,” Wehling said. “I can’t get anybody to understand it just by talking about it. It’s something you’d have to live through.”

The Preventable Tragedy of Impaired Driving

What makes the loss even harder, Wehling says, is how preventable it was.

According to Wehling, the driver’s blood alcohol concentration was 0.09, barely over Minnesota’s legal limit of 0.08. Road conditions were good. There was no snow or ice.

“You don’t have to be crazy drunk,” she said. “Your senses are impaired enough to react in a way that can cause those accidents.”

SEE ALSO: Minnesota Mom Warns Others After Tragic Loss of Two Sons

Sharing Jordan's Story and a Mission for Change

For years, Wehling said her family struggled to talk about what happened. Eventually, she found purpose in sharing Jordan’s story, working with Mothers Against Drunk Driving to help others understand the real consequences of impaired driving.

“I don’t want anybody to have to go through my reality to realize that,” she said.

A Widespread Issue of Alcohol-Related Crashes

Jordan’s story is far from unique.

According to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, nearly 150 people died in alcohol-related crashes across the state in 2024. Law enforcement also made close to 27,000 DWI arrests that year.

Statistics and Safety in a Call for Sober Choices

“Every story of a child lost to an impaired driver is too many,” said Mike Hanson, director of Minnesota’s Office of Traffic Safety.

Hanson stresses that the most effective prevention starts long before anyone turns the key.

“Driving should not kill people. If we all just planned a sober ride and stuck to that plan, we would have so many more families whole this year.”

READ MORE: Minnesota Woman Shares How a Simple Date Night Turned Into a Terrifying Moment She’ll Never Forget

Honoring Jordan's Legacy with a Personal Message

For Wehling, the message is deeply personal.

“I just want to make her life mean something,” she said.

State officials say honoring Jordan’s legacy can be as simple and as powerful as committing to a sober ride home every time.