In 2009, Diane Schuler drove 70 miles per hour the wrong way up the Taconic Parkway in New York. She made it nearly 2 miles before hitting another car head on, killing eight people including herself, her daughter, her three nieces and three men in the other car. Only her son survived.

The story made headlines especially when toxicology reports came back with a blood alcohol level nearly twice the legal limit and indications she was high on marijuana. At that point she was vilified.

But her husband and sister-in-law insisted something wasn't right. Diane would never drive drunk or high. Their vehemence has made the accident a bit of a mystery that was documented in the HBO documentary, "Something's Wrong with Aunt Diane."

As a mother, it was interesting to watch the documentary. Diane was described by everyone as family-centered. She did everything for the kids. Because her own mother abandoned the family, Diane apparently wanted to be the best mother possible. And yet, she did the unthinkable.

As I watched the show, I kept hoping that new tests would reveal the lab had gotten the samples mixed up. That instead of commiting such a heinous act, she'd had a stroke or ailment that led to her disorientation. This wouldn't bring anyone back, but it's hard to think a mother, particularly one like Diane who clearly worked to be a good mom, would do something so irresponsible. And when the second tests came back confirming the first set, there was a part of me that still wondered, what happened? How could something like this happen?

The family's answer is that she was in pain and couldn't find pain reliever (she stopped a store but it had none) and must have used the booze to deal with the pain. But how does a mother drink that much while driving? It would never, ever occur to me to drink to relieve pain, even if I wasn't driving? And when did she smoke the pot? The only surviving child reports, "Mom's head hurt and she couldn't see." 

What's really tragic is that like the Titanic, there were several times a different choice could have been made, not just by her, but by those who came across her that day. Why didn't her husband, driving a different vehicle, stay with her during the trip back? Why didn't she just pull over and call her husband or sister-in-law and tell them she couldn't drive because her head hurt? Why didn't the people who felt she was recklessly driving, approach her in the rest stop? They say if they'd seen the children they would have. But if she was driving poorly, even if she was drunk, why didn't the couple have concern for the other drivers (with or without children) she would endanger? Why didn't Diane stay on the side of the road when she pullled over near the Tappan Zee bridge? At that point one of the children is calling her parents saying, "Something's wrong with Aunt Diane."

This is one of those situations that is so hard to understand. Certainly there are "bad" mothers in the world. But how does this mom, who was doing everything right, go so wrong and do so much harm?