My son was killed while using a crosswalk. Our leaders can prevent similar tragedies
I wake up some mornings, grab my cup of coffee, walk down the hall, and for a split second I put my hand out to knock on Michael’s door to say, “It’s time to get up for school.” But then reality hits. Michael is not in his room. Michael will never be in his room again.
I hope my son Michael’s story and its impact on the importance of transportation safety ensures your child’s story has a different ending.
Michael was an adventurous child. He loved climbing trees, laughing with his friends, trying to do the latest TikTok dance, running into the cold ocean waves at the beach and riding his bike. Michael finished building his own bike in July 2022, the summer before his eighth-grade year. He was so proud of it and enjoyed the independence that riding gave him. The same month, my 13-year-old son was riding that bike alongside his best friend when he was killed by a driver in a crosswalk on Pacific Avenue.
In an instant, hundreds of lives would never be the same. My greatest wish is to have Michael back in my arms and have him look up at me and say, “I love you, mom,” just like he used to. My greatest fear is that this devastating, agonizing tragedy will happen to another child. After his death I promised Michael I would do everything in my power to be a voice for transportation safety. That’s why I’m sharing this personal pain with you.
Transportation safety must be a priority, from local county planning to state and federal transportation funding. If our roads had been built and maintained to protect human life, my son would be in the eighth grade and could tell me he loves me, and he could hear the same from me. Nothing is more important than human life. One death causes debilitating ripples through a family and community, for generations thereafter.
Pierce County recently adopted Vision Zero, which commits to a policy and practices that realize a vision of zero traffic deaths in Pierce County. We must hold the county’s funding and road design decisions accountable to the vision of this life-saving commitment. State and federal leaders must commit to supporting this vision throughout Washington state. Major state and local arterial roads, like Pacific Avenue (SR-7), need solid-activated red lights at crosswalks instead of flashing yellows. We need protected bike lanes, connected sidewalks and more safety-focused infrastructure.
A family should never have to receive the call that we did back in July: telling them to come quickly. A mother should never have to arrive at the scene just as firefighters lay a white sheet over her child. We can prevent a repeat of this tragedy. Contact your Pierce County Council representatives. Talk to your state legislators and the governor. Tell them we need transportation safety infrastructure in Pierce County now.
Michael was uniquely different in all the best ways. He left an impression on anyone who met him. He was a loyal friend to so many. He loved watching anime, listening to music, learning new skateboard tricks and cracking the funniest jokes. This was my son, Michael.
He had so much to give and so much life to live, and it was all taken — gone — irreversible.
Nothing can change this reality, but we can change the future.
We can save other children, friends and neighbors’ lives by committing today to make transportation safety a priority.
This story was originally published December 13, 2022 at 10:20 AM.