Teen works with victim he crashed into to help others battle depression

TEMECULA, Calif. (KABC) -- In an extraordinary story of forgiveness and partnership, the victim of a violent car crash has united with the teen who crashed into him: together, they're working to help other teens who are battling depression.

Inland Empire teen Luke Maxwell drove a van head-on into an oncoming vehicle on Rancho California in Temecula in a 2012 suicide attempt. Maxwell, silently suffering from major depression for years, was hospitalized and charged with assault with a deadly weapon.

"Instead of going by me, he just turned right into me," said Lenny Ross, 53. "It was like -- literally, it felt like an attack."

The crash was no accident. Maxwell, then 16, was trying to commit suicide.

"When I woke up that morning, I just decided 'I'm done. I'm just done with life. I just can't do it anymore,'" said Maxwell.

Amazingly, Ross was not angry.

"When I found out that he was only 16, that he was trying to kill himself, I really -- my heart went out to him," said Ross.

Soon afterward the two met face to face.

"Our entire family came and met him at a coffee shop," said Maxwell. "First thing, I gave him a big hug, and I said 'I'm so sorry.'"

"He knew that I had a compassion for him. He knew that I cared for him," said Ross.

"It was really a big source of my recovery, just feeling that forgiveness," said Maxwell.

"I wanted him to heal, I didn't want any vindictive, punitive damages," said Ross.

In juvenile hall, Maxwell admitted to the charge of assault with a deadly weapon. He was given probation.

But these two now have the most unlikely of friendships, and a new mission in life: to raise awareness on teenage depression.

"It's amazing how many people you touch when you open this door, because so many people's lives are affected by this," said Ross.

Especially after the recent shooting in Isla Vista.

"The way (Elliot Rodger) talked, the way he posted the videos, it was obvious that he was in a lot of pain, and he didn't know how to deal with it," said Maxwell.

Maxwell has posted videos about teenage depression, and he has a blog about it too.

"It was a mistake I made, but we're just trying to make the best out of it, because it happened, we can't change that, but there's a lot of other people that might not survive, so we need to help them," said Maxwell.

Maxwell's teen depression support group meets every first Saturday of the month (except the July 4th weekend) at 10 a.m. at St. Martha Catholic Church at 37200 Whitewood Road in Murrieta. It's open to all teens 13-17 who are struggling with depression, self-harm, and related issues.

Luke Maxwell's teen suicide prevention blog: ucantberased.com

Facebook page: facebook.com/ucantberased