The woman accused of dangerous driving in the death of a former Yukoner is expected to plead guilty to a lesser charge in court today, the young man's family says.

Reid Parent died the morning of Nov. 14, 2010 when the car he was a passenger in left the road and slammed into a tree on Saltspring Island, B.C.

More than a year later, the driver, 26-year-old Laura Rann of Victoria, was charged with dangerous driving causing death.

Prosecutors in the case have told the family Rann is expected to plead guilty to the lesser charge of driving without due care and attention, Parent's mother, Daisy Lemphers, told the Star Thursday afternoon from her home in Ontario.

The Crown anticipates a sentence of 18 months' probation with conditions that include a driving ban and a requirement to get conselling, Lemphers said.

Through her grief, Parent's mother says she is glad the woman who drove the car will not have a serious criminal record.

"I want her to be able to do something decent with her life,” she said. "She is young and has a chance to change her life around.”

That does not mean Lemphers has found forgiveness for Rann.

"I am not there right now. I know, however, staying angry will not help,” she said.

Lemphers said she knows she needs to move forward, particularly for the sake of Reid's older sister, Leah.

"Even though she is 29, I am still a parent, and I need to try and shine light on the road we should take as we live with the loss of Reid,”said Lemphers, who lived many years in Whitehorse.

This fall, the family will travel to Saltspring Island to spread some of Parent's ashes, then come to the Yukon to spread the rest.

In her victim impact statement filed with the court, Lemphers tells Rann she understands how frightening it must have been to sit trapped in the car next to her son and wait for help.

"The accident, however it unfolded, whether through speeding or not noticing the speed limit, is irrelevant to me now, as nothing will bring back my Reid,” she writes

"I am left with an open wound and a depth of sadness that I have never experienced before in my life.”

The family has not received an apology from Rann, Lemphers told the Star.

She still vividly remembers spending time with her son two months before his death, during a visit to Saltspring. It would be the last time they were together.

It rained most of the time.

"We just walked and talked and ate,” she said. "He told me how much he loved Saltspring and how he had found his place.”

The admiration Parent felt for his new community, was mutual.

When the family returned following Parent's death, the support from the community was incredible, his mom said.

They were instantly recognized as "Reid's family,” and the community put together a gathering in a large hall, with donated food and music.

To this day, the family still doesn't know who was responsible for putting the event together.

Parent, 25, was born and raised in Whitehorse. He was best known as a hip-hop musician as well as for his work with local youth.

His death has forced Lemphers to create a "whole new map” for her life, she said.

"I'm not the same person I was,” she said. "You learn to live with it, but I will carry this loss with me until I die.”

While living in the Yukon, Lemphers worked as a social worker. The tragedy of her son's death has led her to open her own counselling practice specifically focusing on dealing with grief.

Meanwhile, she is grateful she had a chance to tell her son she loved him when they saw each other for the last time at the Saltspring bus station.

"Tell people you love them whenever you have the chance, because you never know.”