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Walk like MADD raises awareness, funds

Linda Wells, mother of Justin Lambaria, and her family participate in Walk like MADD to raise funds for Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Lambaria was killed Sept. 20 when he was in a car that went over an embankment and landed upside down in a pond. His friend had been under the influence while driving. Photos by Shawna Mount

By Shawna Mount

Photos of lost loved ones were displayed with their tragic stories it in candlelight, set out by the loved ones left behind. Tents were scattered across the field at Brackenridge Park, with volunteers selling items to raise funds while sentimental speeches and live music blared from the stage, entertaining the crowd of people setup to run, bark or Walk like MADD.

Over a thousand people gathered together on Oct. 27 to participate in the 5th annual Walk like MADD, an event sponsored to raise funds for Mothers Against Drunk Driving as well as promote awareness and show support.

According to the MADD website, every 52 minutes someone dies and every 90 seconds someone is injured in a drunk driving crash.

The Drinking and Driving website states that on average, 12,000 people die per year and 900,000 people are arrested for drinking and driving. A third of those arrested are repeat offenders.

“Texas is in the top three states of the highest drunk driving accidents,” Melissa Montgomery, manager of MADD Victim Services, said. “San Antonio is the number one city in Texas for drunk driving accidents.”

Though the subject manner of the event is heavy, MADD hopes the event would be supportive for victims, families and offenders.

“This is not a doom and gloom event,” Jennifer Northway, executive director of South Texas MADD, said. “It is a celebration of life and to make aware that all of us have the ability to make our streets safer; to say yes we can.”

Almost everything at the event was donated and most of those working the event were volunteers.

“We want as much of the money as possible to go towards our services,” Montgomery said. “There are only about 150 people nation wide that are paid for working for MADD.”

Runners gather together Oct. 27 at Brackenridge Park to support Mothers Against Drunk Driving by “running like MADD.” This is MADD’s first year promoting Bark like MADD, which encourages runners to bring their dogs.

According to the MADD support page, Walk like MADD raised $49,624.89 with a goal of $85,000.

Texas A&M-San Antonio’s School of Business donated $410.

Vendors were set up across the lawn to sell what they could to make further funds. Items for sale included decorated baby pumpkins, MADD T-shirts and ties.

Macy’s specifically discounted their ties for the event, allowing MADD to sell more.

“We want things to be at a decent price,” Montgomery said. “We’re not here to charge an arm and a leg and have people not buy the products because of the expense.”

Macy’s ties are designed based on the way certain alcohols look underneath the microscope. The collection is limited edition.

Decorated keys also were sold as a souvenir of MADD’s involvement in Fiesta where MADD offered anyone under the influence a free cab ride home.

“We want to help in whatever way we can,” Montgomery said.

What MADD offers

MADD offers support groups, counseling, funds, rehab and help with the court system for both the offender and the victim or victim’s family.

“If your family needs money for food because the main bread winner is gone, we will do anything everything possible to get food on that table,” Montgomery said. “In court cases we do our best to make sure the punishment matches the crime.”

MADD not only supports victims and their families, they also support the offenders.

After being pulled over for drinking and driving, volunteer Chris Espinoza attended a MADD seminar where an offender spoke about his experience.

“It was an eye-opener,” Espinoza said. “I saw how my life could have changed.”

Espinoza explained that he never thought about the consequences of his choice.

“I could have killed someone,” Espinoza said. “It could have had a major effect on my family and that person’s family.”

Montgomery said offenders need just as much help.

“Killing someone or hurting someone is something you live with for the rest of your life,” Montgomery said. “It takes them a lot of time to learn how to live with what they’ve done.”

Myra Tharp, mother of Kelly Tharp, said her daughter’s offender ended up with only probation, $500 fine and 40 hours of community service.

Tharp is the founder of Kelbel, an organization that works closely with MADD in raising support funds and promoting awareness on drinking and driving.

“Texas has a zero tolerance law for underage drinking and she was driving under the influence,” Montgomery said. “Yet what started out as manslaughter turned into a misdemeanor.”

The offender happened to be Kelly’s best friend and friend of the family.

Montgomery said that in special cases like this, they try their best in repairing the relationship, though it usually takes years to even attempt this.

“It’s hard when you love someone and they killed your baby,” Montgomery said. “Especially in cases where it involves two siblings where your baby killed your other baby and you have all that anger and yet she is the only child you have left.”

“Nothing will ever be the same for them again,” Montgomery said. “We help them find a new normal.”

MADD: The beginning

Cari Lightner, Sept. 5, 1966-May 3, 1980

A 47-year-old man — already convicted of three drunk driving incidences and recently put on bail for a hit and run — took off in his car still drunk from a three-day binge.

Barreling down the residential street, the driver swerved into the bicycle lane where the two girls were walking, throwing 13-year-old Cari Lightner 125 feet, leaving her friend unscathed.

A postman revived her but her injuries were too substantial for her to survive.

Mother Candice Lightner, in trying to make use of her death, attempted to donate her organs, but doctors told the family that she was too badly mutilated to salvage any organs. Read more

Laura Lamb, May 23, 1979-March 12 1986

Mother Cindi Lamb, crested up a steep heel at 50 miles per hour when she caught site of a car swerving at a click of 70 miles per hour, only an eighth of a mile away.

She took the hit, unable to prevent the travesty in just those few seconds.

She endured a crushed sternum, about 14 broken bones, a cracked hip and a deep, four-inch cut from her left eye to the middle of her head.

Five-and-a-half-month-old Laura Lamb was thrown from her car seat after the impact snapped the restraints. The little girl flipped and hit the back of her neck on the dashboard causing three broken vertebrae crisscrossed over the top of her spinal column, paralyzing her from the neck down.

She gained only the use of her right arm and was diagnosed with osteoporosis and suffered from frequent seizures, lung infections, and inability to control body temperature.

Laura died at the age of seven. Read more

Getting MADD

The tragedy of Cari and Laura created a legacy.

Suffering the loss of their daughters, Cindi and Candice joined forces in creating the organization Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

In 1980, MADD held its first international press conference and by 1983 there were 129 anti-drunk driving laws were passed.

Twenty-five years later, MADD has hit many milestones in the prevention against drunk driving. Read more

“The loss of a loved one to drunk driving is a gut wrenching experience,” Northway said. “But back then drunk driving was not treated as crime.”

MADD changed the way drinking and driving was treated.

“MADD is here to provide support for victims of drunk driving and their families,” Caitlin Martone, MADD special events manager said. “MADD is also here to raise awareness of drunk driving and underage drinking.”

“I had a nine-year-old girl call me from the backseat of her uncle’s car,” Montgomery said. “She called for help because her uncle had been drinking and being afraid of calling the police she called us because she knew what we were about.”

Montgomery said before you go out drinking, make plans not to drink and drive.

“Planning ahead of time helps because it gets rid of any reason to get behind the wheel,” Montgomery said. “When you’re under the influence, your inhibitions are down.”

About the Author

Shawna Mount
Shawna Mount is the Cultura Editor and Advertising Director for The Mesquite. Shawna is a communication-journalism major and attended Northwest Vista College. She is a 2008 Radford High School (Honolulu, Hawaii) graduate. As managing editor of her high school newspaper, she also wrote feature articles for the Honolulu Star-Bulletin.

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