Man whose wife was killed in crash offers forgiveness

Tim Cooper went to pick up his wife, Rebie Cooper, from her job at the Tammy Lynn Center on Saturday.

She had worked an overnight double shift at the center, which serves children and adults with developmental problems. So, Tim Cooper knew she would be exhausted.

He wanted her to be safe. He wanted her not to drive.

But as he drove her home along Jones Sausage Road, where they chatted about their new Chihuahua named JoJo, a speeding Buick struck them from behind.

The impact pushed them off the road and into a tree. Rebie Cooper, who married Tim just over a year ago, was taken to an intensive care unit. She never recovered.

Keondre Lamont Griffin, 19, was charged with misdemeanor death by motor vehicle.

 The grieving husband says he bears no hatred toward the suspect.

“You have your own guilt, and you have your own issues that you bear within yourself,” Tim Cooper said. “So no, if I could say anything to him, I’d say, ‘I forgive you, because accidents happen, things happen and life happens.’”

He said he’s grateful for the time he had with Rebie, who was 30 years old. She and Tim met a couple of years ago while they both worked as corrections officers. He says she was a woman of God who kept a stack of Bibles and Christian literature in the house.

“Oh man, it was love at first sight,” Tim Cooper said.

He said the driver who hit his car didn’t get up that day intent on shattering a life. He said the driver should be punished, but also forgiven.

“You just have to appreciate every moment that you have with your loved ones and your family and your friends,” Tim Cooper said. “And don’t let night fall on your wrath.”