Anti-drunk driving spokesperson Jacqueline Saburido dies at age 40

The face of campaigns against drunk driving, Jacqueline Saburido has died at the age of 40.

In 1999, she was a passenger of a car that was hit by a drunk driver near Lake Travis. The car caught fire, burning more then 60 percent of her body.

Saburido used her story to warn others about the consequences of drinking and driving.

The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission‏ confirmed Saburido died in a tweet, saying they were "saddened to learn of the passing of Jacqui Saburido, who used her life-changing injuries to help tell others about the dangers of drunk driving." 

She worked with the state to release a PSA in the early 2000's about the dangers of drinking and driving. It was a powerful story known across the globe. Saburido starred in emotional PSAs and did dozens of interviews warning people the dangers of drinking and driving.

On the morning of September 19, 1999, 20-year-old Saburido, who moved to Austin from Venezuela to study English, was the passenger in a car heading home from a party. 18-year-old high school senior Reggie Stephey was also on his way home from a party.

Police reported he had been drinking and drifted across the center strip, hitting Saburido's car head on. The driver and another passenger in Saburido's car died at the scene. Saburido was trapped as the car caught fire.

In past interviews, Saburido talked about how she spent the years following the crash undergoing countless surgeries to try and rebuild what she lost. According to TxDOT, doctors did not expect Saburido to survive after the crash. Since then, she had well over 100 operations 

According to TxDOT's "Faces of Drunk Driving Campaign," Saburido's story has been told to more than 1 billion people across the world.

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