My name is Lauren Price. Wife of Chris Price. Almost a year ago my life and the lives of my children and my family changed forever in the worst way possible. On July 18, 2024 Matthew Thimons made a selfish, stupid CHOICE to get behind the wheel of a car drunk. He made the choice to drive under the influence of alcohol. At 10:07 am on Thursday, July 18 Matthew Thimons crossed the line into my husbands lane and hit my husband head on at 98 MPH on La France Road in Pendleton SC. The posted speed limit on that particular road is 40 mph. Chris was heading to work after seeing our baby boy on an ultrasound that morning. inn just a matter of 30 seconds Chris would’ve been at work. I was 36 weeks pregnant at the time just weeks away from delivery. I was headed to my sisters house that morning to have lunch and bring our 2 youngest nephews back home with me when I got a call from my mother in law telling me to get to Chris’ shop as fast as I could that he had been in a wreck and was being life flighted to Greenville. My heart sank. I didn’t know what to do first. I called my best friend and told her to call my parents. I then texted another close friend and told her to inform our friend group and to start praying. Our 2 other children from my husbands previous marriage were in Hilton Head island with their mom, Amanda and her boyfriend, Jesse. They had just arrived the night before. Our precious 8 year old and 5 year old at the time were so excited for a few days at the beach before school started back. I had to make a phone call that I never in a million years imagined having to make. I called their mom to tell her what had happened and at the time I wasn’t sure if it was serious enough for the kids to need to get back home. 

She didn’t answer as they were getting ready for a day of fun. Our friend Natalie finally got her on the phone a few minutes later. By this time we had gotten news that my husband and father to our children was in critical condition and for a few minutes was unresponsive at the scene. Amanda, Jesse and the kids frantically loaded their car and drove 5 hours back home. Our 8 and 5 year old in the back seat crying, confused and begging Jesus to save their daddy. Meanwhile at 36 weeks pregnant my dad, in laws and I headed to Greenville memorial hospital where we would spend the next 13 hours praying over Chris and the hands of the medical professionals who worked tirelessly to save his life that day. 

Around 12:30 that afternoon I finally got to see my husband. It is an image I’ll never recover from. He was lying in a hospital bed, tubes down his throat with machines breathing for him. I had to make the decision to put Chris through multiple surgeries that would most likely cause a stroke to the left side of his brain but those surgeries were his only chance at life. I signed the paperwork giving the doctors permission to do everything in their power to save my husband and father of my children. Around 3 hours later after multiple scans and surgeries and countless medication I was pulled back into a tiny room with multiple doctors and nurses who sat me down to explain to me that they had done everything medically possible. My 36 year old husband was officially brain dead. 

My world stopped spinning. Every ounce of hope was drained from my body. I’ve never felt so helpless and broken in my whole life. Suddenly I felt my heart start beating out of my chest. I was having contractions. A whole new nightmare. Our baby boy was in distress. Before I could even process the unthinkable news I had just received I had to head 2 floors up to OB triage to make sure our baby was ok. Another hour passed. By this time our 8 and 5 year old had arrived and were asking to see me. I went back down to that tiny little room, sat Eleanor, our 5 year old on my lap and explained to them that it was time for daddy to go be with Jesus. That’s a conversation I’ll never ever get out of my head. I sat in that tiny room for hours before I finally went back to see my husband again. I laid across his chest at 36 weeks pregnant with our baby and begged him to show me a sign of life. My this time it was around 9:30 pm. My ankles were so swollen I was in physical pain as well as indescribable emotional pain. 

I laid across my husband for 2 hours. He showed no signs of life. I talked with his doctor one last time to make absolutely sure there was no chance he would wake up with any quality of life. The doctor assured me they had done everything medically possible. I had our immediate family come in as I had to make the worst and hardest decision of my entire life. I had to allow my precious husband to go to Heaven at 36 years old. 

Exactly 20 days later, I had a c section and brought our innocent baby boy into the world without his daddy. 

Because of Matthew Thimons and his poor, selfish decisions I am a widow at the age of 24. 3 innocent children, Collins age 9, Eleanor, age 6 and 11 month old baby Wyatt are growing up in a world without their father. 1 of those children never even had a chance to meet his daddy. 

Because of Matthew Thimons I am forever traumatized. Changed in the worst way possible. Because of Matthew Thimons July 18 replays in my head every single night as I try to sleep.

Our family can’t even begin to properly grieve this unimaginable loss because Matthew Thimons doesn’t think he deserves to sit in Jail and serve time for his actions. Our family is broken! Missing a husband, a father, a son, a brother, a son in law, uncle and friend. Matthew Thimons should have to spend his life in jail so he can endure a very small FRACTION of the pain and misery that we feel!!!! Our 2 older children have already endured birthdays without their daddy. We’ve also endured Thanksgiving, Christmas, new years. Valentine’s Day, our anniversary, Chris’s birthday, Easter, and now Wyatt’s birthday is coming. 

He is selfish and wreckless. He was driving 98 MPH when he killed my husband. 98.

Matthew Thimons is a flight risk. He is from the state of Indiana. He should be made to stay in jail and serve time for the pain and suffering he has caused me and my family as well as our community. He is a danger to the community. 

Please sign this petition in honor of my husband. Chris lost his life! This man deserves to stay behind bars.