ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. -- Renee Napier stood in front of a dark auditorium full of students at Bartram Trail High School Monday.  She spoke about how her 20-year-old daughter Meagan and Meagan's friend were killed by a drunk driver in 2002. 

Trevor Richardson was one of the hundreds of students in the audience. He knew the dangers of drinking and driving.

"It brought back a lot of memories of my grandparents getting killed by a drunk driver," Richardson told First Coast News.

During the morning, deputies were positioned around the high school's auditorium and even back stage because another visitor was also on campus.

Napier told students she had to spend Mother's Day at the funeral home just days after her daughter died.   She told them about Eric Smallridge, the man who killed her daughter.  Then she told them she had forgiven the young man who slammed into her daughter's friend's car.  She also asked for the judge to run the two 11-year prison sentences concurrently, essentially cutting the amount of prison time for Smallridge in half.

"So that it's not another life lost," Napier explained.

And then from backstage that drunk driver, with shackles around his ankles, walked out onto stage. 

"You might hear [the students] gasp. They're not expecting that," Napier said, recounting the other times she has surprised audiences with Smallridge's presence.  "I think it makes more of an impact" to not let the students know he is there until he steps on stage, she said.

After Smallridge walked to Napier on stage Monday, she hugged him. He could not hug back because of the handcuffs around his wrists. Napier then humbly spoke to the students.  Their eyes were fixated on the 33-year-old.

"When they see me walk out with the shackles and the chains on, I think they realize what their lives could be reduced to because of a bad decision," Smallridge told First Coast News.

Napier has special permission to have Smallridge speak to schools with her, believing their stories combined may have even more impact than the mangled car which sits outside.

After the presentation, students lined up to hug and thank Napier for sharing her story.  Interestingly, on the other side of the auditorium, students also approached Smallridge - who was surrounded by deputies. 

The students spoke with him, thanked him, and some even cried.  He simply encouraged them to do the right thing.

"When they give me a hug and share their stories it lets me know they can relate to me and they understand you don't have to be a bad person, you just make a bad choice." Smallridge added, "It's humbling, very humbling."

He said high school students often think he is their age and because he's not "an old man," they can relate to him. 

"When people hug me," Smallridge said, "it's because we (he and Napier) have turned something so horrific into something positive. That's what I believe the hugs are for, but it is very humbling."

Napier said she had to forgive Smallridge in order to move on with her life.

"I put myself in his mom and dad's position. I have a son that age.  I thought, 'that could've been my son,'" Napier said.

Ultimately, she hopes the presentations will save lives and will save families from the hurt she's experienced.

As for Trevor, the high school senior who saw the presentation, he already knew not to drink and drive. But he's now considering forgiveness.

With a big sigh Trevor said, "Oh absolutely."  Then he quietly added, "Today was one of the first days I ever thought about forgiving the person who killed my grandparents."

Smallridge said he has 14 months left to serve on his sentence.  He's not sure what he will do after that. He may continue speaking with students.  

First Coast News