From opposite ends of the country, 21-year-old Casey Feldman and 18-year-old Kassy Kerfoot would never know their Moms would meet in Idaho to become allies in a life-saving campaign.
In 2009, Casey was killed by a distracted driver in New Jersey and Kassy was killed while texting and driving in Idaho. Now, their moms are working together to stop distracted driving, meeting in Idaho to raise awareness and change driving habits to save lives.
EndDD.org, (End Distracted Driving), brought these families together. EndDD.org is sponsored by the Casey Feldman Memorial Foundation created by Casey’s parents, Dianne Anderson and Joel Feldman. Casey’s dad, Joel works tirelessly through EndDD.org to share Casey’s story in the hope it can prevent others from suffering the loss felt so deeply by Casey’s family and friends. When Joel Feldman and Dianne Anderson brought EndDD.org and Casey’s story to Idaho in February, Kassy Kerfoot’s Mom, Liz Catherman, was there.
Kassy has been a part of EndDD.org for the past year as one of the “Faces of Distracted Driving”. Joel Feldman, Casey’s father, developed the EndDD.org presentation including Kassy, never imagining he would one day bring that presentation to Idaho and that he and Casey’s mother would have the opportunity to meet and join forces with Kassy’s mother.
Joel Feldman shared EndDD.org’s interactive presentation with students at Capital High School, Borah High School and Brown Mackie College in Boise on Feb 21-22. A trial lawyer, Joel also presented to the Idaho Trial Lawyers, to enlist new speakers to spread the message throughout Idaho. EndDD.org actively recruits new speakers to share its presentation, offering presentation materials, handouts, related materials, training, and help connecting with local schools. Trial lawyers across the country have been actively engaged bring the EndDD.org presentation to schools and other professionals.
Joel Feldman reached out to Liz Catherman in advance , and Casey’s and Kassy’s parents met at Capital High School in Boise for the EndDD presentation. When Kassy’s picture appeared in that presentation, the students had the opportunity to hear directly from her mother about the accident that occurred on a local Boise road familiar to the students. Kassy had been texting at the time of the accident and was not wearing a seatbelt. Many of the students had heard of the accident and one knew Kassy. “It was extremely powerful for the students to hear from Kassy’s mom,” said Joel Feldman, particularly given the fact that it was a local accident that the students had heard of.”
Casey’s parents were embraced by Liz Catherman afterward the presentation. “Casey and Kassy have met up, I am sure”, said a tearful Liz, in an emotional moment for Casey’s Mom, Dianne, too. “Your daughter was killed just five months after Casey”, said Dianne. “And now we are both saving lives.”
Also present for the Borah High School presentations were Idaho Judge Tom Borreson, Eric Lowe and his daughter, McKenna Lowe, who have been carrying their own distracted driving messages to Idaho youth. Idaho trial lawyers participated as well and have committed to carrying the EndDD message throughout the state. Mary Alice McLarty, President of the American Association of Trial Lawyers (AAJ), viewed one of the presentations and will be taking the EndDD program to young people in her home state of Texas.
“The momentum is truly incredible”, said Joel Feldman. We have programs established already in 13 states, and over the next few months we will be presenting in Nevada, New Jersey, Delaware, North Carolina and California. I am so grateful to all those who have volunteered their time to save lives through our presentation. Who would have thought just one year ago when this program was established that we would be reaching some 200,000 youth by the end of 2013?”
Make a tax deductible donation today so that we may continue our efforts in traffic safety. Your donation will help us to fund our teen traffic study, stay current in our presentation, develop more PSA’s and spread our lifesaving program to teens throughout the country.
Related Links:
Photos from the Idaho presentations
US DOT Faces of Distracted Driving – Kassy Kerfoot
US DOT Faces of Distracted Driving – Casey Feldman
