Today, while many of us are at work, Carl McDonald is doing an important job that will bring him no paycheck; Carl is somewhere near Saratoga, Wyoming on the seat of his bicycle, on his way across America. He and his sister Sallie are biking across the country in memory of his daughter--and Sallie's niece--Carlie, who was killed by a drunk driver in 1998 when she was just five years old.
In Carl's words:
"We will ride in the memory of warmer summers. Each day will be dedicated to those whose lives are affected by the preventable crime of drunk driving. Each pedal stroke, each turn of the tire, will be from two who carry a very personal loss of our own."
Today's miles, for example, are in honor Eric Robbins, an Army veteran and volunteer firefighter who was just 23 when he was killed by a drunk driver in September 1997.
Carl has been working to stop drunk driving throughout his career. He retired as Lieutenant in the Wyoming State Patrol, and he currently serves as the manager of national law enforcement initiatives for Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). He has taken an unpaid leave of absence from MADD to complete this memorial trip.
I encourage you to read their blog to keep up with their thoughts and travels; Carl's Father's Day entry was particularly poignant because he and Sallie were passing through territory he thinks of as "Carlie's Mountains." On warmersummers.com, you can also learn about the many different victims of drunk driving they are honoring along the way.
I also appreciate the kind comments and memories shared by their blog readers, including family members and loved ones of the victims they have honored. Although it's just the two of them on the road, it's clear that Carl and Sallie are far from alone.
Thank you, Carl, and thank you, Sallie, for the important work you're doing. We at DOT wish you good riding.
This is so amazing what ur doen. I thank you tramendously. My mother was killed by a drunk driver. This was his 4th offence. I was 3mths pregnant w my 1st child. And of course my mother n I had planned everything. But 1 week later she was killed by a drunk driver. He hit her so hard her car flipped numerous times and burt n2 flames. She was unidentafiable. This traumatized me. Im so afraid that another freak accident will take away my children or husband that i dnt allow them 2 hardly exsperience life. And its killing me. This has been 8yrs ago now. Will i ever get btr? Thank you 4 what u do. Its amazing. God Bless You Both.
Posted by: Tonya Jeffries Duhl | June 21, 2011 at 04:26 PM
As with distracted driving, the most effective way to reduce the number of drunk drivers is through a combination of rigorous enforcement of the existing state laws; continuous driver education; and continually educating bar tenders and retail sellers of alcohol on their legal responsibilities not to sell additional alcoholic beverages to customers who appear to have had too much alcohol.
The latter point is particularly difficult since bartenders and store clerks are not professionally trained to recognize over indulged customers and usually lose their low paying jobs when an establishment is cited for selling to people who meet a state's legally intoxicated or "under the influence" standard.
This type of bicycling "awareness" project is admirable but does not reach a sufficient percentage of the United States' population. Perhaps it would be better to combine distracted driving and drunk driving bicycling awareness events with the national and international "Ride of Silence" held each year on the third Wednesday in May.
Posted by: Harvey Botzman | June 22, 2011 at 09:02 AM
My son was killed at age 1 by a REPEAT drunk driver. Judges should not keep giving the keys back to these people. If allowed to drive it should be limited to a moped.
Posted by: Dave Smith | June 22, 2011 at 07:05 PM
Sorry, age 16.
Posted by: Dave Smith | June 22, 2011 at 07:06 PM
Drunk drivers are criminals and I can't think of word to describe that they consciously can harm people. These brother and sister do such wonderful job spreading the word.
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Posted by: Rumiana | June 28, 2011 at 12:57 PM