ST. LUCIE COUNTY, Fla. — A St. Lucie County mother is sharing her grief publicly, hoping her daughter's death will serve as a warning to young people about the dangers of drinking and driving.
WATCH BELOW: 'Don't drink and drive, it's not worth it,' Anne McFate tells WPTV's Dave Bohman
Anne McFate lost her 21-year-old daughter, Destiny Taylor, on Tuesday, when the car she was in, ran off the road and plunged into a canal off Orange Avenue. Taylor and 28-year-old Tatiana Licona were both killed in the single-car crash.
"Each morning I wake up, and I know that I'm not going to see her," McFate said.
McFate described her daughter as quirky, funny and loving with a great personality. She said Taylor wasn't a heavy drinker but enjoyed playing pool.
The bodies of both women were found in the canal Tuesday morning. Florida Highway Patrol investigators have not reported which of the two was driving, but troopers said an open container of alcohol was found in the car. Witnesses saw the two young women at a Vero Beach bar Monday night.
Region St Lucie County
2 women found dead in car in canal in Fort Pierce, FHP says
McFate doesn't know how much or even if her daughter was drinking before the crash, but she has a clear message for other young people.
"The only reason I am doing this today is to get that message out there. Don't drink and drive. It's not worth it. It's not worth it," McFate said. "And also, if you see something, say something."
The grieving mother has endured multiple tragedies recently. This summer, she was among residents who claimed a Port St. Lucie roofing company took thousands of dollars and never fixed her tornado-damaged roof. Two weeks after the tornado, her mother died after a battle with cancer.
WATCH BELOW: Women found dead in Fort Pierce canal
But losing her 21-year-old daughter has been the toughest blow of all.
"I had to go to the funeral home yesterday and the pictures they showed me... No parent should ever have to see their child... the pain. I can't explain it," McFate said.
McFate hopes her daughter's friends will feel that pain and use it to make better decisions. She wants Destiny Taylor's death to cause them to pause and help friends, who've had too much to drink, get home safely.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.