COLORADO SPRINGS — Every day, about 37 people in the United States die in drunk-driving crashes — that's according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Impaired driving took over 13 thousand lives last year, 218 In Colorado.
Mothers Against Drunk Driving or MADD has been a leader in the fight to end impaired driving. On Saturday, August 24th they will host the Walk Like MADD event at Memorial Park in Colorado Springs to shed light on these preventable tragedies. Ahead of that, a local mother shares her story of unthinkable grief.
Nome Homsombath reached out to me to make a change in her daughter's honor. After a night out with her friends, 21-year-old Alize Wathano got in the car with her ex-boyfriend. He was drunk behind the wheel, sped, lost control, and hit a tree. Wathano was ejected from the car and died instantly.
The pain hasn’t eased for Homsombath or her family. She tells me, “It has been 5 years since my daughter passed away. A song comes up and I think about her. Sometimes I cook her favorite food and I just cry because I miss her. People say it will get easier but it doesn’t. It doesn’t.” Alize was studying to be a nurse at the time. She was an aspiring entrepreneur, a sister, a friend, and a daughter.
Carrel Ellis was the man behind the wheel when Alize lost her life. Police reports state that he was driving 75 miles an hour in a 35-mile-an-hour zone before losing control. His blood alcohol level at the time was reported to be more than twice the legal limit. Homsombath was there for each court appearance and explained “To sit and hear his family and friends plead for his freedom while I pleaded for her justice.
Ellis is serving nearly 11 years in prison for a reckless homicide charge after being offered a plea deal, but Homsombath says, “It was four years after she died that that came about. 4 years that he lived his life.”
Homsombath Understands that justice is only part of the battle. Now she works to bring light to a major resource here. Mothers Against Drunk Driving or MADD, it's not just a group that works to put an end to impaired driving. They support families affected by a lifetime of grief. Homsombath has a teamtaking part in this year's Walk Like MADD fundraiser to create a future of no more victims.
Walk Like MADDwill be located on the east side of Memorial Park next to the Peace Officers Memorial.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:
7:30 a.m. - Registration & Check-In Opens
7:30 a.m. - Vendors Open
8:30 a.m. - Opening Ceremony Begins
9:00 a.m. - Walk Steps Off
10:30 a.m. - Event Ends
EVENT AREAS:
Victim Tribute Area – Victim tribute activities will be located in our special Victim Services area of the event. Memorial activities will be available. MADD Victim Specialists will also be on hand in the Victim Services area for those attendees who may need some emotional support on the morning of our event.
Hospitality - Our friends at King Soopers are providing delicious snacks to help us get our day started. Fresh fruit, donuts, fruit and granola bars, drinks, and water will be available to all attendees at no charge.
Kid Zone – Bubbles and bubbles and bubbles! Young walkers (and maybe adults too) will enjoy this year’s sudsy bubble-themed activities. Face painting will also be available.
Vendor Village – Visit our sponsors and vendors to learn about these great organizations and grab some fun giveaways.
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