Fil-Am channels grief into advocacies after losing son killed by drunk driver

Bev Llorente | TFC News Nevada

<figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aG59-fI90aw?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div><p>In the early hours of February in 2017, the world of those who knew the 16-year-old Filipino-American Jaelan Fajardo stood still.</p><p>A promising day turned tragic when a drunk driver careened into Fajardo&#x27;s car, stealing his bright future in an instant.</p><div><a data-ved="2ahUKEwifvKiQi5uDAxVAklYBHU05AzQQFnoECAkQAQ" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/02/14/17/pinoy-teen-killed-in-las-vegas-car-accident" jsname="UWckNb" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/02/14/17/pinoy-teen-killed-in-las-vegas-car-accident&amp;ved=2ahUKEwifvKiQi5uDAxVAklYBHU05AzQQFnoECAkQAQ">Pinoy teen killed in Las Vegas car accident</a></div><p>Fajardo&#x27;s death shattered the world of his mother, Marcia Joson, and all those who were close to him.</p><p>&quot;Every day he is always in my mind,&quot; said Joson. &quot;I think about him and I miss him a lot.”</p><p>Said Fajardo&#x27;s friend Josh Binamira: &quot;I think about all the things he could be doing right now, all the things that we could have been doing, he he looked light. All those were cut short.&quot;</p><p>Despite the loss of her son, Marcia found a way to turn her grief into something meaningful.</p><p>She turned toward leading an awareness campaign against what took her son. Marcia now supports two non-profit organizations, the &quot;Mothers Against Drunk Driving,&quot; and the &quot;Stop Road Crashes,&quot; where she meets with victims of drunk driving and the family members of those who lost their loved ones to such cases.</p><p>“I&#x27;m still fighting and I&#x27;m raising awareness,&quot; said Jonson. &quot;So, my message to everyone is be responsible. We pledge to drive safe so other people can survive.&quot;</p><p>MADD organizer Lindsey Valdez stressed the importance of collective action to put a stop to deaths resulting from drunk driving.</p><p>&quot;We come together as a community to support victims and families who have been through the horrific tragedy,&quot; she said. &quot;[Drunk driving] is 100% preventable. We want to raise awareness and support those who have been impacted.&quot;</p><p>A measure was presented to the Nevada state legislature in 2019 which sought to increase the jail time for drunk driving from the original seven years to 10.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/09/28/17/mom-of-fil-am-killed-by-drunk-driver-pushes-for-stiffer-dui-penalties">Mom of Fil-Am killed by drunk driver pushes for stiffer DUI penalties</a></div><p>The piece of legislation, however, failed to pass. Despite this, Jonson hopes that the measure, named after her son, will be revived.</p><p>She is also determined to continue using what happened on that fateful day in 2017 as a catalyst for change.</p>

A Filipino-American mother in Nevada found a way to channel her grief into helping push for social change.

Fil-Am channels grief into advocacies after losing son killed by drunk driver | ABS-CBN

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Fil-Am channels grief into advocacies after losing son killed by drunk driver

Fil-Am channels grief into advocacies after losing son killed by drunk driver

Bev Llorente | TFC News Nevada

Published Dec 19, 2023 04:40 PM PHT

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United States

Nevada

Las Vegas

Drunk Driving

Advocacy

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Jaelan Fajardo

TFC News

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