The Town of Crawford Police Department, along with the Orange County Stop DWI and the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, presented a mock DWI drill Friday morning for the Pine Bush High School juniors, many of whom will be attending the prom in the evening.

 

Student actors were a big part of the event, as well as community volunteers from the fire department and  ambulance corp.

 

 

After the drill, the students went into the auditorium to hear the story of Marianne Angelillo, a woman from Skaneateles who lost one of her children when he was a passenger in a car with a drunk driver.

Her son, Matthew, 17, had just finished his junior year in high school. He was second of her four children. Matt was an excellent student and athlete, exceling in football and lacrosse. Angelillo said he was a leader who made good decisions. He worked from an early age and saved money to buy his own car.

One of Matt’s dreams was to attend the Air Force Academy. On June 18, 2004, he had just returned from an academic summer session at the academy in Colorado Springs. On June 19, he went out with his friends to share and celebrate his week at the academy with a party in the woods. He didn’t drive because, as his mom said, he wouldn’t drink and drive. Instead, when the party was over, he got into a sports car, owned by one of his friends. So many people wanted to ride in the flashy car. The driver had been drinking and even staggering. People at the party told Matt and others not to drive with him.

It was a series of bad decisions that caused Matt’s death, Angelillo said. The driver shouldn’t have been drinking. The kids who saw he was drunk should have taken his keys or called his parents. The kid who used a fake ID shouldn’t have bought alcohol. Matt shouldn’t have gotten in the car. But that’s not how it happened. The group should have just celebrated with a bonfire and no alcohol, Angelillo said.

Angelillo and her husband. Marc, were awakened by a phone call from one of Matt’s friends wondering if he was home yet because they wanted to come and sleep over. He had heard about an accident in the village and hoped it wasn’t Matt and their friends. Matt’s parents went into the village, just about a mile from their house. So many parents were gathered, worried their children were involved. A police officer walked over to them and told them he was sorry but their son didn’t make it after the high-speed crash.

The students were silent throughout her entire presentation as Angelillo explained the effects Matt’s death has had on her and her husband and their three other children, even 19 years later. Their family has grown, all three of her surviving children have married. She has four grandchildren. They are a happy, joyful family. But, they are missing someone so vital and important to them and it changed their lives forever. All because of bad decisions.

Angelillo’s message was a powerful one for sure.

Afterwards, students signed the banner with the promise not to use alcohol or drugs or drive with anyone impaired.