Faces of Distracted Driving: Calli Ann Murray, 2 "Even though we lost her, we want to change other people's behavior"

Calli Ann Murray wasn't Al Andres' first grandchild, but she was something special.  To hear him tell it, even her name held a significant meaning.

"The name itself, C-A-L-L-I:  C-A stood for Chinese American, L for created in love, and L-I was her mother Ling's maiden name," Al said. "She was just a joy to be with and enjoyed life so much."

One of 2-year-old Calli's favorite places to visit was Sunrise Park, just a block and a half from her home in Rohnert Park, California.  But on December 1, 2010, a trip to this beloved playground ended in tragedy.

Calli and her mother Ling were heading home from the park after an hour of playtime when they reached an intersection.  As they began to cross hand-in-hand, a young driver texting on her cell phone barreled down the street. 

With her attention on her phone instead of the road, the driver struck Calli and Ling with her car.

Al was across the country in Hartly, Delaware, when he received the frantic call from his son, Jeff.  There had been an accident.  Calli was gone.  Ling was critically injured.

In a moment, all of the dreams Al, Jeff, and Ling had hoped for young Calli were shattered.  And when Al learned that the senseless crash was caused by a distracted driver, a new mission took hold of his life.

"Even though we lost Calli, we want everything that happened to change other people’s behavior," he said.  "Paying attention to a text message in the car and not paying attention to what’s going on out in front of you can cause you to kill somebody."

"My greatest hope is that anyone who hears our story will commit to not using a cell phone behind the wheel.  It could save a life."

If you have a distracted driving story to share, email faces@distraction.gov.