https://www.all4udad.com/my-story
The PTSA sponsored an assembly on April 9th highlighting a heavy topic, distracted driving, to spread awareness to our students about how everyone’s lives can change in an instant by mistakenly taking your eyes off the road for one second.
The speaker, Karen Torres, shared about her own devastating loss of her father, who was a construction worker and lost his life.
“My mission is to share my story, raise awareness, and inspire individuals to prioritize safe and focused driving,” Torres says on her website: ALL4UDad.
On March 17, 2006 Patrick Mapleson was the victim of the distracted driver who was driving a thirteen ton cement truck.
“ The driver of this cement was careless and negligent by taking his eyes off the road, veering into the work zone, running over and killing my father. My dad is not merely a highway fatality static, but was a loving father, grandfather, friend and co-worker that was cheated from life that day,” Torres explained on her website.
In a recent poll, “60.2% of respondents reported talking on the phone while driving. Other behaviors include: Sending or receiving a text message while driving (47%) Using an app on their phone (40%)” according to The Zebra, an insurance company who studied distracted driving.
During Torres’ speech in the JAMPAC, she deeply expressed her sadness and heartache about the loss of her father that continues to haunt her nineteen years later, and hopes her tragedy will be a learning opportunity for many students and staff.
“My father worked for the New York State Department of Transportation. He and his crew were working on the highway when a cement truck driver entered a work zone. As he was merging into a lane, he dropped his water bottle. As he reached over to pick it up, he took his eyes off the road and pulled the steering wheel down with him, causing him to crash into the work zone and kill my dad.”
“My father’s birthday was on Thursday, March 16th. I called him that night to wish him a happy birthday and made plans for him to come over that Sunday to celebrate with our family. The next morning (St.Patrick’s Day), I went food shopping and bought his cake. When I got home my phone was ringing. It was 11:01 am..that was the phone call that changed my life forever.” Torres sentimentally shares.
After years of hard work, Torres explained, her father was just seven months from retiring and was looking forward to spending his time reading books, and fishing. After this incident Torres went over to his house to find retirement papers over his coffee table that he had been previously filling out, but never got to finish. Seeing that her father was looking at these hours before his death made her believe that this wasn’t happening.
“They must have the wrong family, ” Torres said to her sister. “I’d just spoken to Dad fourteen hours before.”
Many New Hartford students who attended the assembly shared that Torres’ story had emotionally moved them. With tears in their eyes students said they will never text and drive again.
Senior Paris Badgley has high compliments for the assembly: “Her story was very heartfelt, hearing about her father dying from the cement truck incident made me feel a profound sadness for everyone involved .No family should have to go without their father, grandfather, uncle, friend, and so much more due to a guy reaching for a spilled drink. From now on I will set my phone on ‘do not disturb’ and always make sure to keep my eyes on the road.”
Torres’ story was devastating and heartbreaking. Her perseverance and bravery to share her father’s story with New Hartford students was greatly appreciated by everyone.
