Local teens learn valuable lessons
WHBF-TV (CBS) - Channel 4 in Rock Island, Illinois

(published November 7, 2011)

Story and video by Johnna Klossing (jklossing@cbs4qc.com)

Some Quad City students are getting an inspirational message. The group MWAH, which means messages which are hopeful, put on a presentation at Mercer County High School Monday. Young performers used dancing and singing to cover topics like bullying, reckless, driving and domestic violence. They also told real life stories about teens who lost their lives because of poor choices. Troop members said MWAH's show is all about encouraging kids to do the right thing.

Also speaking at the event were the mothers of two Galesburg teens who were recently killed in a car accident. Heather Briscolino and Cindy Burns spoke to more than 200 teens. Reliving their pain, they shared their heart wrenching story of how their sons, 16-year-olds Dustin Frazier and Quinn Dombrow, lost their lives because of one mistake.

"It was August 10th, it was a beautiful Wednesday morning," said Cindy Burns, Dustin Frazier's mother.

Burns said that beautiful morning soon took a turn for the worse.

"They were gone in an instant. Five minutes after I talked to them they were gone," Burns said.

Her son, Dustin, and his best friend Quinn were speeding and "hill" jumping on back country roads when they lost control of their vehicle. She said she later found out the two had done it many times.

"They didn't think that morning they were going to die," she said.

However, they did die, because of one bad choice. It's something that will haunt both the boys' mothers for the rest of their lives.

"No momma should have to go to a funeral home and identify her child in the condition our babies were in. No momma should bury her 16-year-old because of one bad decision," said Heather Briscolino, Quinn's mother.

Briscolino said all she has left of her son is a shoe and a cell phone. She said while telling her story is hard, she hopes it will make teens stop and think twice about the consequences of their choices.

"I really wanted them to feel the power of our message and the things that happened to our boys because it was just something that could happen to anybody."

Both mothers said sharing their story with teens is something they would like to do again. They said while the road to healing is a long one, knowing their message can help others is therapeutic.