The reason why Kevin McLaughlin sounds the way he does on his 911 phone call: In 1991, Kevin McLaughlin was riding a skateboard on Newport Boulevard in Newport Beach, California after leaving a bar on Halloween night. This way, he would not have to drive while tipsy. However, he was hit by a suspected drunk driver and was listed in critical condition at Western Medical Center in Santa Ana, CA. He was in a coma for four months. He partially recovered from his brain injury but still had problems with speech and motor skills. Sadly, Kevin drowned while surfing in Hawaii in October 1999.