Foundation keeps spirit of Katie DeCubellis alive

Meri R. Kennedy
Posted 10/23/14

Her life still shines.

That is the way John and Meg DeCubellis want people to remember their daughter, Katie. She would have been 28 years old this year, but her life was cut short.

On Oct. 29, …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

E-mail
Password
Log in

Foundation keeps spirit of Katie DeCubellis alive

Posted

Her life still shines.

That is the way John and Meg DeCubellis want people to remember their daughter, Katie. She would have been 28 years old this year, but her life was cut short.

On Oct. 29, 1999, while heading to the Warwick Mall, a drunk driver plowed into the car Katie was riding in, killing the vibrant 13-year-old and her friend’s mother, Marsha Bowman.

Those who knew Katie describe her as a bright light, and her family and friends created the Katie DeCubellis Memorial Foundation (KDMF) to honor her memory. The foundation works tirelessly to raise awareness about the dangers of drinking and distracted driving.

“Losing a child never gets easier, and many days it actually gets harder. I think the main thing is that you get better at dealing with the pain and forcing yourself to continue to live. The foundation is one way of allowing us to treasure Katie. We know that Katie’s life and spirit continue to live on through the work of the foundation,” John said.

John and Meg have spoken at hundreds of schools across the country, sharing their story and hoping to help others make positive decisions when it comes to getting behind the wheel.

Most recently, the foundation donated $100,000 to the University of Rhode Island to create the KDMF Student Athlete Academic Advising Center within the Student Athlete Academic Commons.

Meg said the gift help create “a place for young athletes to study and seek help with academics as well as counseling.”

“We have heard from young athletes that the center has also afforded them a place to gather and hold group meetings,” she continued. “In line with the mission of the KDMF, the [center] promotes youth leadership, supports education and allows KDMF to generate public awareness of the danger of drunk driving and substance abuse through the signage and printed information that is displayed in our common areas.”

In addition to the large donation to URI, the foundation has made tremendous strides. It has awarded more than $150,000 in scholarships, prizes and donations, and donated $50,000 to the Narragansett Library, dedicating the children’s room in Katie’s honor.

The foundation fought to lower the blood alcohol limit for drivers to .08 in Rhode Island. Each year the foundation hosts an annual creative writing contest sponsored by AAA of Southern New England. The 2015 judge is slated to be best-selling author Bruce DeSilva, winner of both the Edgar and Macavity Awards. Past judges include acclaimed authors Casey Sherman, Ann Hood and Thomas Cobb.

In 2012, the foundation released a series of public service announcements featuring former NBA basketball player Chris Herren, middleweight boxing champion Peter Manfredo and basketball coaches Ed Cooley of Providence College and Dan Hurley of URI. These continue to run on Rhode Island television stations, as well as at Providence Bruins, URI and PC games.

The foundation also produced and created a series of educational videos, dubbed “The Deadly Consequences of Drunk Driving,” which are currently being used as a mandatory part of the Rhode Island driver’s education curriculum and being distributed nationwide.

The foundation has created the magnet program, through which each month one or more establishments place a KDMF magnet on their fleet of vehicles reminding motorists to drive responsibly. So far, KDMF has teamed up with AAA Southern New England, Almeida Plumbing, Big Blue Bug, Cole Cabinets, Del’s Lemonade, Munroe Dairy, SeaScape, Wesco Oil and Yard Works.

Meg and John continue visiting schools around the country, speaking to students about the dangers of drunk driving. Together, they have spoken to over 100,000 middle and high school and college students, as well as parents, law enforcement officers and military personnel. They also host an annual road race/walk each year, and the Blue Knights RI hosts a KDMF motorcycle run.

“We have been fortunate to touch many lives and accomplish many goals through the KDMF,” John said. “In many ways, Katie’s life and legacy continue to affect people even though she is not here with us.”

The foundation is currently looking for new board members and corporate sponsors. To learn more about the foundation and the scholarships they hand out each year, log onto KDMF.org or follow the group on Facebook or Twitter.

Comments

No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here