Jessica Eckersley was a hands-on mom who always had fun activities happening around the house. A chef and mother of three, she had just started her dream job three days earlier when her life was cut short by an impaired driver in September 2020.
Just minutes from home, Jessica was killed when the driver of the vehicle she was riding in lost control and crashed. Unbeknownst to Jessica, he was under the influence of fentanyl at the time.
Jessica was just 28 years old, with two daughters and a son, all under the age of 10.
“She was just fun, loving—she had a heart of gold,” said Jessica’s mother, Jody Winters. “She loved people, she loved nature, she loved animals. But most of all, she loved her kids.”
Today, Jessica’s story is a reminder of why impaired driving prevention is a key focus of the Arrive Alive Arizona initiative. Every impaired driving crash represents a family that is forever changed.
As a substance abuse counselor, Jody was well aware of the risks associated with drugs and alcohol. But she said nothing could have prepared her family for the pain they have lived with since Jessica’s death.
“My daughter’s not going to be there when her kids graduate from high school, or go to college, or get married, or have babies of their own,” said Jody. “The grief… you don’t get over it. You learn to carry it. You learn to live around it.”
While impaired driving fatalities are often referred to in terms of statistics, Jody hopes people will remember the lasting impact on the families and loved ones left behind.
“What they don’t see is what comes afterward,” Jody said. “It was agonizing.”
Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) quickly became a vital resource for Jessica’s family, helping them navigate the legal process and personal struggles that followed the crash.
“Just the love and support they have given to us—it’s important,” Jody said. “My MADD representative, she walked with us through everything. She was like, ‘We’re going to do this together.’”
Today, Jody volunteers with MADD, sharing her family’s story and advocating for impaired driving prevention in the hope that other families will not have to experience a similar loss.
“If I can keep another mom from ever having to experience what we've had to, then I will continue to do it,” she said.
While daily life looks different for Jody and her grandchildren—now ages 10, 14, and 15—the family continues to honor Jessica’s memory.
In 2022, Jody adopted more than two miles of road near the crash site where Jessica’s family and friends participate in biannual cleanups in her honor. They also take part in the annual Move With MADD walk, helping raise awareness about the devastating consequences of impaired driving.
When asked what message she hopes other drivers will remember, Jody’s answer was clear.
“In the day and age of Uber and Lyft, there should not be one impaired driving fatality,” she said.
Through Arrive Alive Arizona, the Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZDPS) is reminding motorists that every decision behind the wheel matters. For Jody, the message is personal: have a plan, never drive impaired, and help ensure everyone arrives alive.
