This is the most difficult update I have ever had to write.  In the past, I have asked you to put yourselves in the place of law enforcement as well as emergency and public service personnel.  I have asked you to close your eyes and experience the fears they face as they work our nation’s highways.  I have even asked you to think about what your husband or wife, son or daughter would experience as they had to receive that knock on the door.  Maybe I asked you to consider all of this because I have had to watch my husband bury two friends.  Maybe I asked you to put yourselves at a graveside as you watched someone you care about being lowered into the ground.  Maybe I asked you all of this because I never thought we would go through it again.

I knew someone, somewhere would have to bury someone they loved, their life lost as they did their duty to protect and serve.  Here though?  Here in this beautiful small mountain community that had already lost two troopers in such a short period of time.  It should not have happened again.  We never thought it would happen again.  Yet, here we are. 

The song of the bagpipes, the mournful sound of the bugle, the whinnies of the riderless horse and the twenty-one gun salute were enough to bring me to my knees once again.   I tried to stay strong.  I knew what to expect.  I tried so hard to keep my hands around the shoulders of the other spouses from our district, the ones who never had witnessed this sad march before.  I tried so hard to prepare them for what was to come, yet my own tears came and I found these other women holding on to me as as hard as I was holding onto them.

I would ask you to keep the families of our North Carolina Highway Patrol Troop G District 5 in your prayers, but I won’t.  We still have our husband’s by our sides.  We are so grateful for that, but feel guilty for that gratefulness as well.  What we need you to do is pray for the family that is living our worst nightmare.  Whatever it takes, and whereever you can find the strength, pray for Shawn’s family.

Today, Michaela will sit by her son’s side as he fights for each breath.  Tye, who was born seven weeks premature, has the strength of the caisson horses that carried his father’s body.  This three-pound beautiful baby boy is fighting hard.  Maybe because his daddy had the chance to hold him in his arms.  Maybe because his daddy’s friend led the caisson and willed the strength of the horses to find their way to Tye.  Maybe because his daddy’s friends marched as brothers, and his daddy’s best friends helped to keep his mommy strong.  Maybe because of the strength of the Cherokee blood that runs through him.  Maybe because we have all prayed day and night.  But mostly because his mommy is right by his side and needs him as much as he needs her.  

Our families have been humbled by the outpouring of generosity for Michaela and Baby Tye.  Never have we witnessed such an outpouring of support.  Whether people just want to know how Tye is doing [great, by the way and trying to gain two more pounds so he can be strong enough for heart surgery] or because they want to know how to help, the e-mails I have received are countless. 

This month, maybe even this summer or longer, it is not going to be about FORS.  It is going to be about helping Michaela and Tye.  I apologize for doing this, but I need to.  I am sure you will understand, and if you don’t, well…life isn’t fair.

Here are some things you can do to help Michaela and Tye:  GO TO OUR DONATION INFO PAGE FOR A LISTING OF ALL FUNDRAISING EVENTS FOR THE BLANTON FAMILY.

On July 12th, there wil be a motorcycle ride from Black Mountain to Maggie Valley.  Click here for more information.

On July 28th, eat at Fat Buddies of Asheville or Waynesville.  Ten percent of all proceeds will go to Michaela and Tye.

On August 2nd, the Blue Ridge Mustang Club of Asheville will be doing a HUGE Law Enforcement Appreciation Day and Fundraiser. Click here for details or call 1-828-667-8213.

Shawn’s best friends are organizing a softball tournament and a golf tournament which I will share with you as soon as I receive the information.

To make a monetary donation, you can either go to our donation info page and we will forward any donations to Michaela and Tye, or you can send a donation directly to the State Employees Credit Union.  An account has been set up for them.  Make checks payable to “Michaela Blanton FBO Brendan Tye Blanton” and mail it to: SECU PO BOX 97  Waynesville, NC  28786 or go to your local SECU branch. For SECU questions, call 1-828-452-3570.

If nothing else, keep praying.

FORS & AAA Carolinas will host a Move Over Press Event on Monday, May 19th at 10am at the Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina.  Speakers include:  Tim Hayes, a former Mecklenburg County, NC paramedic who became an amputee after he responded to a roadside emergency; Dave Parsons, president and CEO of AAA Carolinas; Lara Feinberg, director of F.O.R.S.; N.C. State Rep. Ray Rapp, sponsor of the recent amendment to the NC Move Over Law; Jeff Cash from the N.C. State Firemen’s Association; and Colonel W. Fletcher Clay, commander of the N.C. State Highway Patrol

May 2008 Update 

Our May 2008 update is dedicated to the memory of Commander Harry P. Wendler who served with the Miami-Dade Police Department for over twenty years.  He passed away last month from natural causes.  Families for Roadside Safety would not be where it is today without the quiet cheers from my uncle.  He will be missed by many.

In our April 2008 update, I asked those of you who are law enforcement officers, emergency workers, etc. that if you could tell motorists one thing, what would it be.  We had responses from tow truck drivers, DOT engineers, emergency workers and even parents of law enforcement officers, and more.  Here are some of the re sponses I received:

v  “What would it feel like to be leaving your home for your office, plant place of work and know that in an instant, seconds, if even less, you could be injured or die at your job (at no fault by yourself).  Would it make you take a second thought about going to your job, would it make you take a few minutes out of your time to spend with your loved ones before heading out?  This is the sad reality that we, as public service personnel (Fire, EMS, LEO, and tow personnel) have to face each time going to our “office”, which is commonly out and about, along the highways and byways that you take for work, pleasure and errands.   So, in regards to this, take your time getting to and from point A to B, and all points in between, you may never know that when you’re speeding down the road and get stopped by that cop, or that the person weaving over in the other lane is drunk and about to hit you, because when disaster strikes, we respond.  You might not think that your life depends on it, but ours sure does.  Remember, MOVE OVER FOR STOPPED EMERGENCY VEHICLES, the life that you save may be your own…”

v  “Please stay off cell phones when driving.  Stay Alert!”

v  “ I’d probably yell at the top of my lungs: ‘SLOW DOWN!’”

v  “Drive like it was your child standing there beside the roadway.  Because there is someone’s child, parent, spouse, or sibling standing there.  I wish everyone could have seen Cody Cogdill at his father’s funeral.  They would hopefully never wish to put a child through that again.”

v  “Pay attention to your surroundings!”

v  “SLOW DOWN….No Need 2 Speed!”

Now, let me ask you…What have you done?  What have you done personally to ensure your safety on our nation’s roadsides?  Who have you told about the dangers you face?  One person can make a difference.  Take the time to tell the people in your lives to “stay alert” and to “pay attention.”  How many of you work outside of law enforcement and emergency services, yet truly support keeping these folks safe?  Take 5 minutes and write a letter about it.  Ask your payroll department to include the letter with everyone’s paychecks next month.  Heck, I will send you the $5 to buy a ream of paper so you can run off copies of your letter and hand them to the payroll folks.  What are the lives of our law enforcement officers and emergency workers worth?  At least a ream of paper and five minutes of your time I would hope.  Remember, you could be the next stranded motorist that a tow truck driver has stopped to assist.  Your son or daughter could be the next one to get stopped for speeding.  Pray that you have told enough people about the Move Over Law.  The life you save could be your own!

With a recent struck-by incident caught on video involving a Pennsylvania state trooper, Move Over Laws have once again found their way into the national spotlight.  You can view a recent Good Morning America story, entitled Woman Saves Trooper’s Life, on this incident at http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4746501.  I had a quick highlight and mention in it.  As a result of that story, I was contacted by WAQY-FM’s the “Bax and O’Brien Morning Show” serving the Hartford, CT market.  This morning I was honored to be interviewed and you can listen to that interview at http://www.rock102.com/upload/audio/lara_feinberg_1.mp3.  Two states in their listening area, Mass. And CT, are both lacking a Move Over Law.  Hopefully a legislator heard the show and will do something about it!

To keep you up to date with efforts around the nation, here are a few states focusing on Move Over Law education.  Click on the state to read a recent article about their efforts:Colorado , Oregon , Virginia, Wisconsin, Tennessee and Minnesota .

Please don’t forget about our Move Over Press Event with AAA Carolinas at the Lowe’s Motor Speedway on Monday, May 19^th at 10am.  Guest speakers will include Dave Parsons, president an CEO of AAA Carolinas, myself, someone from the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, NC State Rep. Ray Rapp, Tim Hayes, a former Mecklenburg Cty, NC medic who was seriously injured in a struck-by and Jeff Cash with the NC State Firemen’s Association.  If you plan to attend the press event, please RSVP to Carol Gifford with AAA Carolinas at cjgifford@mailaaa.com. 

We are looking for a few people who will be attending in personal vehicles to allow those vehicles to be used in a simulated Move Over demonstration.  We need about five vehicles, so please let me know if you would be available.  We will need you to arrive by 9am on May 19^th.  Also, we are looking to use one tractor-trailer for the simulation.  Again, please let me know if you would have one available by contacting me at Lara@f-o-r-s.com. 

You may have noticed that our “related links” section of our website is currently down.  Please be patient while we have this repaired.

Our MoveOverWI efforts are still underway.  The MoveOverWI website will be released this summer!

Move Over Law posters, designed by North Carolina State Trooper Garrett Barger, depicting Trooper Barger and his friend Dale Earnhardt, Jr. will soon be available!  Additionally, the posters will be turned into billboards!  With the assistance of AAA Carolinas, we hope to see the first billboard up near the Lowe’s Motor Speedway in time for race week!  We will let you know how you can help to fund more of these billboards. On a final note, the month of May includes the national Law Enforcement Memorial Week as well as the National Emergency Responders Memorial Week.  Please keep the families of those who have perished in the line of duty in your thoughts and prayers.  As always, Move Over and Slow Down for Stopped Emergency Vehicles…Our Lives Depend On It!