https://www.drivingdownheartache.org/mark-wandall/ Highway Safety Advocacy Thu, 02 May 2019 13:54:50 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://www.drivingdownheartache.org/mark-wandall/#comment-47 Thu, 02 May 2019 13:54:50 +0000 https://www.drivingdownheartache.org/?p=582#comment-47 I have read Mark’s tragic preventable death many times , and listened to Melissa describe this fateful night, but I still get chills, sorrow, anger and disbelief as I read the post by Joe St. Onge. Having met Melissa many years ago, shortly after her tragic loss of Mark, we have become close friends, even though many miles (1200) separate us from our home in South Jacksonville, Illinois. We spend some winter months in Venice so close to Melissa and Madisyn and try and keep up with her many life-saving activities.
Careless and impaired driving take a toll on our roads and highways; Nearly 11,000 Americans are killed each year in preventable crashes across our great country in alcohol-related crashes. Having been involved in MADD since 1984, the year the town drunk ran over and killed our 24 year-old daughter, we have seen the progress made by MADD and great individuals like Melissa Wandall but, how do we tell moms and dads it’s getting better when a knock on their door tells them their son or daughter has been killed by as impaired driver, or a red light runner?
If we in MADD are to reach our goal of “NO MORE VICTIMS” and Melissa’s goal of “DRIVING DOWN HEARTACHE” we have to educate and make everyone aware of the tragedies on our highways. When we see preventable crimes day after day we must give more support to law enforcement and push for our justice system to view preventable crimes as just that…CRIMES!
George & Marilyn Murphy
MADD Morgan County
South Jacksonville, Illinois

]]>