The Follow-Up

Stacy Struggles With Her Guilt

Two years ago, Stacy and her mother-in-law were traveling home after seeing a taping of The Oprah Show, when they were caught in bad weather. Stacy lost control of her car on a patch of ice and went into oncoming traffic. The accident broke her mother-in-law's neck which killed her instantly. "To this day," Stacy says, "I blame myself."

Stacy suffered the next two years, wracked with unspeakable guilt over this devastating loss. But she found comfort in Pete's own struggles with an accidental death. "How strong you were made me realize that I can be strong," Stacy tells Pete. "I can move on and I can let it go. Just hearing you say that it does happen in a split second. I want people to realize that it can happen to anybody."

Pete had more advice for Stacy's emotional recovery from the guilt she feels. "You said [you've tried] not showing emotions in front of people, trying to put on a happy face," Pete says. "Well, I'll tell you right now that tears are healing and if you don't cry, you're never going to heal. I cry in front of a few hundred people; I cried in front of the whole country; I'll cry again.…I say I've cried a thousand rivers and I'll cry a thousand more. But if you don't, you're never going to get better."