With all the horrific stories about texting and driving, it's amazing how many people continue to do it.

And as QMI Agency reports, a 21-year-old man got a pretty terrifying reply from the universe to one of his on-the-road messages.

Chance Bothe had just typed: "I need to quit texting because I could die in a car accident" to a friend when he lost control of his pickup, flew off a bridge and went careening into a ravine 35 feet below. The Texas college student survived — but barely.

A hospital report revealed he suffered traumatic brain injuries, a broken neck, a punctured lung, compound leg fractures, a fractured skull, sternum and rib fractures, and a fractured face that required reconstructive surgery. Bothe required extensive surgery and six months of rehabilitation.

To his credit, the young man is turning his ordeal into a living lesson. He plans to spread the message, by example, that you can be a great driver and an even more dexterous texter, but there's a reason both machines should be operated separately.