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Distracted Driving Changes Survivors' Lives Forever

Marianna Angelillo

Marianne Angelillo's journey began on Father's Day 2004, when her 17-year-old son, Matthew, was killed as a passenger in a high-speed car crash.

Ed Devitt

On June 10, 1999, at age 18 years, Ed was in a car crash involving alcohol and drug use while crossing the Newburgh Beacon Bridge over the Hudson River. He sustained a traumatic brain injury and was unable to speak, walk, eat or drink.

Vijay Dixit

Vijay Dixit's 19-year-old daughter was killed when the driver of the car she was riding in became distracted. He has a message for parents.

Tom Goeltz

Tom Goeltz has been a safety professional and advocate his whole life, but nothing could have prepared him for the day he lost his daughter and unborn grandchild.

Pennie Hunt

Pennie Hunt says she saw the car coming in her rear view mirror and closed her eyes, held the steering wheel as tightly as she could and thought, “So this is how it’s going to be.” In her mind, she knew she was about to die. 

Michele Ice

Michele Ice, a retired firefighter from Cobb County, GA, and a child passenger safety technician instructor, hazardous materials technician and a CPR and first aid instructor. On April 1, 1999 a van ran a stop sign and hit Michele’s driver’s side. Michele was instantly knocked unconscious with multiple life threatening injuries.

Douglas Kidd

One phone call drastically changed the course of Douglas Kidd's life. As a result of that one call, he lost months of his life and had to learn how to walk – and live – again.

Amy Lavallee

Amy Lavallee’s 19 year old son, Phillip LaVallee, was hit and killed by a distracted driver while out on a training run on Aug. 8, 2013 in Otsego, MN. His dream was to run at the 2016 Olympics in Rio.

Jodene Lopresto

Jodi Lopresto was born and raised in a small town in Missouri. On April 30, 2014, everything changed in her family’s life forever. While she was driving to work, she was struck head on by an SUV going at least 95 mph.

Michelle Lunsford

On Feb. 22, 2018, Michelle's only daughter, Camryn, was killed on her way home from work after she texted a friend and ran underneath the back of an 18-wheeler. She was just 26 days away from her 18th birthday and three months to the day of graduation.

Jeri Dye Lynch

After her 16-year-old son was killed by a distracted driver, Jeri Dye Lynch established the Conor Lynch Foundation to support programs that raise awareness about distracted driving.

Courtney Merriman

Courtney Merriman's grandfather, Papa, was an active 92-year-old right up until the day a distracted truck driver struck and killed him while he was crossing the street.

Robye Nothnagel

Robye Nothnagel, a loving wife and grateful mother of two, suffered severe injuries as the victim of a distracted driving crash in 2017. She was hit as she was crossing the road by a distracted 18-year-old driver, and literally saw her life flash before her in a matter of seconds.

Pam O'Donnell

Pam O'Donnell is a wife and mother whose husband and 5-year-old daughter were killed by an impaired driver on Feb. 22, 2016. She has decided to turn her family's tragedy into action.

Bonnie Raffaele

Kelsey Raffaele, 17, was killed in a crash in 2010. She was talking on her phone at the time. Her mother, Bonnie, has been speaking about safe driving at high schools ever since.

Carlos Rosario

On March 17, 2017, Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Carlos Rosario was conducting a laser speed enforcement detail outside his vehicle when he was stuck by a driver who was texting. Rosario sustained multiple traumatic injuries and was in a coma for 17 days.

Lurri Schoenrock

On Aug. 23, 2013, Colton Schoenrock fell asleep driving home, veered off the road and struck a tree head on after rolling his SUV. He died instantly. He was coming off of a 15-hour overnight shift.

Emily Stein

Emily Stein's father was killed when a distracted driver veered onto the shoulder and struck him as he was securing a tarp on his truck. The driver was programming her GPS.

Brian Strommer

On Labor Day weekend 2010, Brian Strommer’s family was thrown into the most tumultuous and painful period of their lives when their 22-year-old son, Brian, was killed in a high-speed, single-car crash. THC and alcohol were present in his bloodstream.

Karen Mapleton Torres

On March 17, 2006, Karen Torres received a phone call that changed her life. Her father, Patrick Mapleson, was struck and killed by a distracted driver while working along the highway.

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