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09/24/2017 12:58 PMOn Saturday Oct. 14, 2017 Branford Walk Like MADD 2017 will honor Deanne Negri, who was critically injured by a drunk driver on Dec. 18, 2013. Negri survived the horrific accident but now lives a life dramatically compromised by the fallout of traumatic brain injury suffered in the crash.
Like the families of so many victims, Negri's family has mobilized, in many ways, to support the efforts Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), said Janice Heggie Margolis, State Executive Director for MADD CT.
"It's usually the victim's parents who are involved," in extra efforts to support MADD, above and beyond the Walk event, said Margolis. "In this particular case, it's the entire family."
Negri's mom, Roberta Niwore, became very active in supporting the walk last year and is "heavily involved" this year as a Walk Committee member, said Margolis. Family member Lori Chamberlain, a fourth-grade teacher at East Haven's Ferrara Elementary School, instituted a recess program for students which raised $1,100 for MADD CT last year and is underway again this year. Negri's niece, Michelle Chamberlain, recently marked her second year working as a Victim Service Specialist for MADD CT, which is based in East Haven.
Shoreline residents from all area towns are invited to join Negri and her family, aka team "Rebels With a Cause" at 2017 Branford Walk Like MADD in front of Branford Town Hall at 10 a.m. Oct. 14. Teams and individuals can register in advance here or sign up in Branford on walk day from 8:30 – 9:30 a.m. Walkers will trek three miles on a course leading out to Branford Point and then back to Town Hall. For younger kids, mini "Fun Runs" will take place. Walkers receive a Walk T-shirt, breakfast and lunch. The day also includes a MADD CT program honoring Negri; with help from the National Guard's Color Guard, Branford High School band and other organizations.
As one of four state-wide Walk Like MADD events, it's a day for all to remember loved ones, inspire change, and help raise funds and awareness to support MADD's commitment to end drunk and drugged driving.
"The four walks are among the largest public awareness events we do; but it's also important to note that somewhere in the state, we are doing a MADD event every week or weekend," said Margolis. "Each of these events affords us an opportunity to get in front of somebody. We're having an event at The Stand [in Branford] on September 28 for the first time – that's a whole new group of people we will be affecting."
Branford musician Sal "Nunz" Annunziato is gathering the live music event, "A Night at the Stand, Featuring Sal Nunz with Flash" set for Thurs. Sept. 28, 5 – 8 p.m. at The Stand restaurant and bar in Branford, 196 Montowese St. A portion of event proceeds will support Branford Walk Like MADD.
For her part, Chamberlain has organized another local fundraising event which kicked off Sun. Sept. 24 at Capotorto's Apizza Center, 688 Foxon Road in East Haven. Beginning Sept. 24 and continuing until close of business (10 p.m.) on Saturday, Sept. 30 MADD CT will receive 20 percent of proceeds from all take-out and eat-in orders.
Before joining the staff at MADD CT in 2015 as a Victim Services Specialist, Chamberlain was already dedicating her volunteer efforts to assist the mission of MADD; and not only due to her aunt's accident. During that same year, in 2013, a friend of Chamberlain's died at the hands of a drunk driver.
"My best friend was actually hit by a drunk driver the same year, and tragically, she was killed," said Chamberlain. "I had heard of MADD, but I didn't really know they were so victim services-related. That's when I really started looking into it; and we found the walk, and we started coming."
Now, as a Victim Services Specialist with MADD CT, Chamberlain works directly with victims' families, assists with court programs, and also speaks at schools, driving schools, and victim impact panels, among other duties.
"They do care about what she has to say, because she's lived it, twice," said Margolis.
Chamberlain said she is both motivated and inspired by her aunt; a mother of three.
"She and her husband and their kids are all a very creative," said Chamberlain. "My aunt is an art teacher in Bridgeport and the day her crash happened, she volunteered after school to work with some students, and she had left and was on her way home. She was stopped at a stop sign and she said she heard the loudest sound she ever heard. That was the last thing she remembered before waking up on the opposite side of the road. She was in her back seat, and she couldn't figure out how she got there."
A witness behind Negri's car at the stop sign said the drunk driver went around the witness's vehicle, traveling at 50 to 60 miles per hour, and smashed directly into Negri's car.
"Her car was hit with so much force, it broke from underneath and spun three times," said Chamberlain. "My aunt mentioned to me she remembers coming to and the driver standing over her and saying 'Please don't die, please don't die.'"
The traumatic brain injury Negri suffered affects her balance, hearing and sight. She's lost 85 percent of her field of vision and most of her periphery vision, said Chamberlain.
"The signal between her brain and eyes is damaged; so that her left eye and her right eye no longer work together," said Chamberlain. "She has double vision, and if she has too much stimuli coming in, it causes debilitating migraines. So she has to wear a brimmed hat, even indoors, and she has special lenses in her glasses. It's caused severe tinnitus, a ringing in her ears that never goes away. The only way to alleviate it is to be fitted with hearing aide. She also has to carry earplugs, because she can't filter out sounds anymore."
Negri had to learn how to navigate on her feet again and spent months learning to walk in a world that's now filled with hurdles.
"It took her seven months to learn how to walk around and over things, and to be able to walk without a cane," said Chamberlain. "But something like a patterned carpet will still throw her off; and stairs are a problem, too. She said it feels like she's walking around in a funhouse with those warped mirrors."
Margolis said the support Negri and her family give back to MADD CT is repeated by many other victim's families and friends. All want to help end drunk and drugged driving and are grateful for the assistance of MADD CT services and programs.
"Deanne was critically injured and remains devastated and impaired; and it's also affected every single member of her family -- because for families, it is also devastating," said Margolis. "Our response is, 'Come let us help you, let us support you and work with you; and then let your voice be heard so that other people aren't impacted by drunk and drugged driving.'"
The 2017 Branford Walk Like MADD is Sat. Oct. 14 gathers outside Branford Town Hall, 1019 Main St., on the Branford green. Registration 8:30 a.m.- 9:30 a.m.; walk begins at 10 a.m. Become a sponsor, team captain or individual walker. Learn more and register in advance at www.walklikemadd.org/branford or call (203) 764-2566.