To: November 14, 2003

Please tell us about your loved one who died in a traffic accident. (What information about your loved one do you want to share with others?): My dad was killed by a hit and run driver in Millville NJ on the Brandriff Avenue Bridge. To this day we do not know who the driver is. We only know that it was a tri-axle dump truck.

Since my fathers accident, I have worked along side our local legislators (Jeff Van Drew, Nelson Albano & Matt Milam) to change the hit and run laws in the state of NJ. Today on the books is “Skinner’s and Michlle’s Law”, this law has increased the penalty for leaving in the scene of an accident from 5 years in prison to 10 years in prison for a 2nd degree charge. Today we have seen drivers charged under the law but unfortunately have seen families torn apart because of someone else’s actions. Getting the awareness out of different types of accidents is the best therapy we can have and give to others.

I know my dad is proud of the accomplishments but everyday we miss him more and more.

My heart goes out to all the families that have lost a loved one to an auto accident.

May God Bless you all and your loved ones.

Do you have a pink light tree?: No

Street: brandriff avenue

City/State: millville nj

May we publish the address on the virtual map? : No

To: 2006

Please tell us about your loved one who died in a traffic accident. (What information about your loved one do you want to share with others?): Ricci Branca died On July 18, 2006, while his friends Bobby and Ryan watched. The three boys were riding their bikes on Ocean Drive headed to Ocean City, NJ, when a drunk driver hit all three. Bobby and Ryan sustained broken bones and bruises but Ricci was caught under the vehicle and drug for 50 feet. He was in a coma for five days before he was declared brain dead and life support was terminated. Ricci was 17.

Ricci was an avid BMX rider. He was part of the group of local youths who, along with Shore Fellowship Church members, created Patmos Park. Ricci was instrumental in planning the park and building the dirt jumps in preparation of the first two fundraisers

Web Administrators Note: In New Jersey, “Ricci’s Law” signed into law January 14, 2010. It requires convicted drunken drivers with a blood alcohol content level above 0.15% to have an ignition interlock system installed in their vehicles for six months to a year after their license suspension ends. Subsequent offenses would require people to drive with the interlocks – which take breath samples from drivers before allowing them to operate their vehicles – for one to three years after the license suspension ends

Do you have a pink light tree?: No

Street: 201 S. Shore Road

City/State: Northfield, NJ

May we publish the address on the virtual map? : Yes

www.redmeansstop.org

To: 2000

Please tell us about your loved one who died in a traffic accident. (What information about your loved one do you want to share with others?): In the early morning hours of Saturday, July 22, 2000, Ensign John Elliott and his girlfriend were traveling home from Annapolis, MD to New Jersey for the birthday celebration of John’s mother. A car swerved into John’s oncoming lane striking John’s car head-on, killing both John and the driver of the other car and seriously injuring Kristen.

The person who struck John’s car had been arrested by police three hours earlier and charged with Driving While Intoxicated. He was released to a friend who drove him to his car on the side of the road and he resumed driving. One hour later his sport utility vehicle swerved into the oncoming lane, hitting John’s car, killing them both.

The crash took place on Route 40 in Salem County and the Salem Courthouse, where the pink tree is, was the location of the trial.

Wed Administrators Note: On April 19, 2001, “John’s Law” was signed into law, in New Jersey, making it the the first law of its kind in the country. John’s Law requires police to impound the cars of those charged with drunken driving for up to 12 hours, and issue responsibility warnings to those taking custody of the DUI offenders.

Federal John’s Law legislation was signed into by President Bush as part of the 2005 Transportation Act. It provides 0 million in federal highway safety funds to impound vehicles driven by DUI suspects.

The HERO Campaign for Designated Drivers was launched by the Elliott family in August of 2000 in memory of John’s tragic death at the hands of a drunken driver. The purpose of the HERO Campaign for Designated Drivers (R) is to promote the use of sober designated drivers to prevent drunken driving tragedies throughout our country. In cooperation with schools, businesses, law enforcement agencies, and other community-based organizations, we ask you to help keep drunk drivers off our highways.

www.herocampaign.com

Do you have a pink light tree?: Yes

Street: 94 Market Street

City/State: Salem City, NJ

May we publish the address on the virtual map? : Yes

To: 2009

Please tell us about your loved one who died in a traffic accident. (What information about your loved one do you want to share with others?): Hort Kap came to America to escape war in Cambodia. He and his wife, Sawann, survived the KhmerRouge killing field in 1980 eventually ending up in the Bronx, New York. He was the father of six children who were trying to convince him to retire. Hort was on his way to Atlantic City from New York when his vehicle was struck by Matthew Maher, a Philadelphia Kixx soccer player. Maher was driving under the influence, speeding and not wearing a seat belt. Kap was wearing his seat belt and changing lanes when Maher’s vehicle struck the back of his sending his car off the road and flipping. Hort Kap died immediately.
With his soccer career over and facing jail, Maher decided to try and help young adults learn from his mistake. He spent the two months before being sentenced talking to over 3,000 high school and college students about the consequences of drinking and driving. Maher is serving a 5 ½ year sentence for second-degree aggravated manslaughter and driving while impaired.
View the presentation on-line, www. themattmaherstory.com

Do you have a pink light tree?: Yes

Street: High Street

City/State: Millville NJ

May we publish the address on the virtual map? : Yes

To: 2006

Please tell us about your loved one who died in a traffic accident. (What information about your loved one do you want to share with others?): Trevor James was killed while riding his Suzuki motorcycle on Williamstown-New Freedom Road in Sicklerville on August 1, 2006. Trevor had just left a doctor’s appointment and was heading home when a motorist pulled out of a local deli and began a left turn in front on him. Trevor laid down his bike, which spun mostly unscathed, so it was Trevor’s body that took the impact. Trevor was wearing a helmet but he couldn’t recover from the injuries to his body. He died several days later and left behind a son, Dylan, who is now 5 years old.

Trevor’s mom, Janet James, has been working with Senator Andrews Office to increase penalties for right of way violations and with motor vehicle officials to expand the motorcycle safety section of New Jersey’s Motor Vehicle Handbook.

Do you have a pink light tree?: No

Street: Judith St

City/State: Hammonton NJ

May we publish the address on the virtual map? : No

To: 8-8-2006

Please tell us about your loved one who died in a traffic accident. (What information about your loved one do you want to share with others?): Trevor was 22 years old. He owned his own home, was loved and well respected by friends, family and co-workers. He had a wonderful little boy, Dylan to whom he was devoted with his heart and his time.
On August 1, 2006 about 3 in the afternoon Trevor exited his doctor’s office parking lot and made a left hand turn onto the roadway on his suzuki motorcycle (he had been riding since he was 11).
Not more than 375 ft. away an inattentive motorist was about to exit a private parking lot to execute a left hand turn. She did so when Trevor was 35ft. from the parking lot. He took evasive measures. His body took the full impact of hitting her car. He passed away 7 days later at Cooper Trauma center at almost exact time his accident took place. 3 p.m.
I have had a conversation with Mr. Feldman and Casey and Trevor are part of the the Think Safety Campaign. She was as beautiful as Trevor handsome.
We are both coming up on their “angelversary”.
I hope someday to meet you, and I think your idea of the lit tree is beautiful (although I am not sure Trevor would be keen on pink!)
I now find myself sitting in front of the keyboard, as I know, there are simply no words to describe this experience adequately. There are bits, but no, nothing really tangible.
My very best regards to you, and to your family and most especially to your beautiful daughter Casey.
Janet M. James
609-369-1181

Do you have a pink light tree?: No

Street: 13 w. judith drive

City/State: hammonton nj 08037

May we publish the address on the virtual map? : Yes

The City of Sea Isle, along with the South Jersey Traffic Safety Alliance (SJTSA), dedicated a “Pink Remembrance Tree” to Casey Feldman as part of Sea Isle City’s Community Day, Saturday, May 1st at Noon in front of the police department on JFK Boulevard. Adorned with some 1400 pink lights, the tree is visible upon entering the island from the bridge and will be lit every night from dusk till 5:00 a.m. A plaque at the base of the tree is inscribed with Casey name and dates and serves as a memorial to all who have lost their lives in traffic accidents.

Mayor Len Desiderio said, “Mr. and. Mrs. Feldman have worked very hard to raise awareness to pedestrian safety and it is my privilege to honor the memory of their daughter in the hopes of keeping the residents and visitors of Sea Isle safe.” Speaking on behalf of the South Jersey Traffic Safety Alliance, Program Manager Teresa Thomas announced their summer safety campaign, stating that Casey’s story and photograph would play a prominent role in pedestrian and traffic safety in the region. “We are adding a human element which we hope reaches people enough that they start to drive more safely.”

The pink tree dedication in Sea Isle City also served as the kickoff for a nationwide effort to decorate trees with pink lights to stand as a memorial to those whose lives have been lost to traffic accidents and as a symbol of traffic safety.

Also speaking at the ceremony were Sea Isle City Chief of Police Thomas D’Intino and Dianne Anderson, Casey’s mother.

Dianne Anderson took the opportunity to express her and Casey’s father Joel Feldman’s appreciation for the dedication of the tree in Sea Isle, stating that Sea Isle City was Casey’s home away home. Casey loved the shore and Sea Isle City in particular, where the family has owned a home for over 17 years. Casey was living in Sea Isle during the summer of 2009 and was struck in a crosswalk at an Ocean City intersection on July 17^th. Casey wrote about the summer and Sea Isle City in high school essays and her mother took the opportunity to share Casey’s feelings in Casey’s own words by reading excerpts from one of those essays written when Casey was 16 years old:

Summer. Just saying the word, hits me with a barrage of senses. I can almost taste the word, like a half-melted cherry Popsicle on the 4th of July. Or hear it, the sound of the rushing ocean, the seagulls cawing, and crickets chirping, their call audible through the open window, their sound mixing with the whirring of the fan late one hot August night….

Ever since I can remember, we have had a shore house. I can’t remember a 4th of July that hasn’t taken place on the deck of our beach-front shore house in Sea Isle City, New Jersey….

As soon as my last final exam is finished on that thrilling day in mid- June, I’m already packing my bags for “the shore,” and, for the majority of the summer, I’ll call Sea Isle home….

Every day at the shore is special, and every second is a moment in time that I’ll commit to memory and forever cherish…. Summer has a sort of timeless quality, and even though the profound aspects of your life change, it almost seems like, in the summer, time stands still, and all the summer days of my memory merge into one….

Most people share this belief that summer is sort of the time to make memories. When middle-aged adults and parents reminisce about their youth, getting starry-eyed and talking about “the good ol’ days”, often you hear stories of wild nights at summer camp, crazy debacles at the beach, and summer romances…

I can picture myself, even though it makes me cringe to do so, in my forties. Although I have virtually no idea what direction my life will have taken, I know one thing: when life becomes more stressful than fun, and when I have more obligations than vacations, maybe I, too, will daydream about the “good ol’ days;” and those unforgettable summer nights at the beach.

[Note: View more photos from this tree dedication ceremony. See ThinkSafetyCampaign.org and SJTSA.org for more information on the South Jersey Traffic Safety Alliance's summer safety campaign. Visit CaseyFeldman.com to learn more about Casey Feldman and the efforts of her loved ones since her death].