Paul Ham says his father's life was cut too short.
"As an immigrant, he worked tirelessly to provide for his family. As a pastor, he worked diligently to make this broken world a better place," Paul said of his father, Bruce.
Bruce Ham was killed last May, when Amy Dell drove drunk on the wrong side of Interstate 81, hitting Ham's car head on.
"She had a history of DWIs that she clearly didn't learn from; she didn't have a driver's license when this incident occurred. She wasn't just drunk. She was very, very intoxicated. This was a very preventable tragedy," says Onondaga County Chief Assistant District Attorney Chris Bednarski.
Members of the victim's family spoke in court monday before Dell was sentenced.
"Tell us, how much was my father's life worth? What is the value of not having your father at your graduation or wedding?" asked Ham. "How do we quantify the value of not having been able to say goodbye, or thank you, or I love you?"
Ham's family asked for the maximum sentence, which the judge delivered: eight and a third to 25 years in prison.
"The reason we asked for the sentence we asked for isn't to make her suffer for as long as she possibly can. But it's because if she continues living the way she's living, not only is she going to keep suffering, but other people will keep suffering as well," said Ham.
"Although it may not be now or soon, I pray to God someday that your family may be able to find it in your heart to forgive me for all the pain and heartache that I have caused," Dell said. "From the very bottom of my heart, again, I am so sincerely sorry."
Dell also promised she would never drink alcohol again. The judge also sentenced her to one and a third to four years for aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. The sentences will be served concurrently.