Ryan Gibson tearful to hear fatal drunk driving crash impact

The man who pleaded guilty to killing Brandon Thomas while driving drunk broke down in tears after listening to numerous victim impact statements from friends and family members.

Ryan Gibson, 22,pleaded guiltyin January to driving over .08 causing death and driving over .08 causing bodily harm.

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Gibson stood in theCalgary courtroom wearing a boxy black suit and a pair of cowboy bootsas he apologized for his actions.

"There's nothing I can possibly say. I can never ask for your forgiveness. My actions are unforgivable," hesaid. "I'm sorry from the bottom of my heart. I'm sorry for the pain I've caused for so many people."

Gibson says when he looks in the mirror now he feels "disgust" andvows to work against drinking and driving in the future.

"I will pay for my actions for the rest of my life," he said.

Gibson was driving drunk from Cochrane to Calgary in December 2012 when he smashed his vehicle head-on into the Subaru thatThomas was driving.

Thomas died at the scene.

Packed courtroom

Today the courtroom was packed with teenage friends of the victim so manythat there weren't enough seats. Somehad tostandin the aisles, a lotof them wearingblue anti-drinking anddriving wristbands.

With more than40 victim impact statements offered to the court ahead of sentencing, provincial courtJudge Karim Jivrajasked lawyers to reduce the list to 14 statements from relatives of Thomas.

Kayle Thomas, the victim's sister, sobbed as she described the loss of her brother.

"My whole world was taken away," she told court.

Gibson who had been staring at the wall got emotional as the victim impact statements continued to be read aloud. Gibson's father was also in tears as he hugged his son during a break inthe proceedings.

Thomas' motherwas wearing a special hoodie with a colour photograph of himprinted on the front.KimThomassaysnothing will make up for the loss of her son.

"I'm going to say I think it was a well-written statement prepared by someone, that's what I'm going to say," she said. "I don't know if it was heart-felt, I don't know him I don't want to know him. I know he killed my son and I know he can't bring him back."

Both Crown and defence lawyers had been seeking a sentence of two years plus one dayto be served in a federal prison.

Gibsonwill be sentenced on May 12.