Siran Stacy suffered through one of the worst occurrences a husband or father could ever go through in life, but he is using that painful incident to try and better the lives of others.

Stacy spoke to the crowd gathered at Sartain Hall on the Troy University campus Thursday night about the night when he lost everything that was dear to him.

“My family was everything to me and the enemy took them that night,” Stacy said. “There was no doubt God was not in that car of that individual that was driving with twice the legal limit of alcohol in his body.”

On the night of Nov. 19, 2007 Stacy, his wife and his five children were heading home from his mother’s house and were one mile from their home when a drunk driver struck the passenger side of the car and took the lives of Stacy’s wife and four of the five children.

The accident also claimed the life of the driver of the other car. Stacy has been traveling around preaching a sermon of hope and love since the accident. He said he wants to show people that the love of God can find anyone because it found him after the accident.

“I truly believe (the driver) was trying to take all of us out and now I am trying to take his kingdom out,” Stacy said. “I am trying more than anything to let people know how much Jesus Christ loves us. He paid the unbearable price and if I can show through the tragedy of my family his undying love then that motivates me to go places.”

The accident that claimed the lives of Stacy’s wife, Ellen and children, Lequisa, 18; Bronson, 10; Sidney, 8 and 2-year-old Ellie left the former star running back for Alabama from 1989-91 in a coma. His then 3-year-old daughter, Shelly, was also hurt badly in the accident.

“I often ask myself why I did not see the truck,” Stacy said. “But I do not know why and I know that if it was not for the prayers of all the people who prayed for me I would not be here today.”

Stacy said knowing that people cared for him got him through that tough time in his life.

“It was people from all around the world who would come and pick me up and let me know that I am not alone,” he said. “They let me know that it is not the end.”

Stacy travels across the country sharing his message and the Pike County Young Professionals brought Stacy to the Troy community.