RADCLIFF, Ky. (WHAS11) -- The Radcliff community and family members of the victims of the 1988 bus crash in Carrollton, Kentucky are holding a commemorative ceremony Saturday to honor the 27 killed.
"All aspects of this crash stays with on a daily basis. It pops in your head when you least expect it," said Quinton Higgins.
He would survive the crash that killed his best friend and 26 others nearly 30 years ago on I-71. "There are still many dark days that all of us survivors go through individually," he told WHAS11.
The bus, owned by the Radcliff First Assembly Church of God, was heading back home after a day at Kings Island. The collision happened around 11 that night.
In the three decades since the deadliest drunk driving crash in US history, Higgins spent some of that time educating others about the dangers of drinking of driving. He drives a school bus - a visible reminder of the consequences of making bad choices.
"When you see the 27 reasons not to drink and drive, whether you know about the crash or not, people will probably look it up and understand there were 27 lives taken because someone took a drink," he said.
Larry Mahoney was drunk, behind the wheel of a pickup truck while going the wrong way on I-71. His blood alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit.
He spent nearly 11 years in prison after being convicted of 27 counts of second-degree manslaughter. Mahoney has never spoken publicly about the crash.
One of those 27 killed was Karolyn Nunnallee's 10-year-old daughter Patty.
"I forgave him and let him go. Forgiveness does not mean forgetting. I will never forget what he did. But I hold not malice. I let him go so he would not have a hold of me," she said.
Nunnallee and Higgins plan to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the crash Saturday at a ceremony at North Hardin High School in Radcliff sharing a message of purpose and perseverance.
"We made a choice to strive forward. To show our kids that no matter what, you can battle anything in life," he said.
The ceremony starts at 10 a.m. inside the schools' gym.