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>>> HER FAMILY WAS KILLED BY A
DRUNK DRIVER.
>> IT’S ONE THING WHEN YOU LOSE
A SPOUSE OR A CHILD OR A PARENT,
THERE’S SOMEONE TO CARRY ON THE
LEGACY.
BUT NOTHING WAS LEFT FOR THEM,
AND THEY WERE SO YOUNG.
>> Grant: NOW WORKING FOR REAL
CHANGE TO KEEP OTHERS FROM BEING
KILLED BY SOMEONE DRIVING UNDER
THE INFLUENCE.
THE ABBAS FAMILY OF 5 WAS KILLED
BY A DRUNK DRIVER MORE THAN 2
YEARS AGO.
>> Karen: THE SISTER IS WORKING
WITH CONGRESS TO GET NEW
LEGISLATION PASSED AND WHY THIS
BILL SPURRED BY THE LOSS OF HER
FAMILY MAY JUST BE THE KEY TO
SAVING THOUSANDS OF LIVES.
>> Grant: HOW OFTEN ARE YOU
HERE?
>> EVERY DAY.
>> Grant: ON A PARK BENCH IN
MEMORY OF HER FAMILY, SHE COMES
TO REFLECT AND CONNECT.
>> MY MEMORIES OF THEM ARE IN
THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU KNOW.
THE WALKS WE TOOK, HANGING OUT
AT THE PARK WITH THE KIDS.
THIS IS WHERE I FEEL THEM MORE
THAN ANYWHERE ELSE.
>> Grant: THE PARK JUST STEPS
FROM THEIR HOME.
>> SHE WAS MY BEST FRIEND.
MY BROTHER-IN-LAW FOUND US THE
HOUSE HERE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD
BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO MAKE SURE
WE WERE LIVING NEAR AND CLOSE TO
ONE ANOTHER.
>> Grant: IN 2019 REYNA’S
SISTER, AND BROTHER-IN-LAW, AND
NIECES AND NEPHEW WERE KILLED
WHEN THEY WERE HIT BY A DRUNK
DRIVER ON A KENTUCKY HIGHWAY AS
THEY WERE DRIVING HOME TO
NORTHVILLE.
>> IT’S ONE THING WHEN YOU LOSE
A SPOUSE OR A CHILD OR A PARENT,
THERE’S SOMEBODY TO CARRY ON
THAT LEGACY.
BUT NOTHING WAS LEFT FOR THEM
AND THEY WERE SO YOUNG.
I MEAN, REMA WAS 38 AND HE WAS 42 AND THE KIDS DIDN’T EVEN GET
42 AND THE KIDS DIDN’T EVEN GET
A SHOT AT A LEGACY, AND I FULLY
BELIEVE NOW THAT THIS IS PART OF
PROVIDING FOR THEM A LEGACY THAT
THEY WERE ROBBED OF.
>> Grant: IN 2019, THEY WERE
ASKED TO FLY TO WASHINGTON,
D.C., FOR THE LAUNCH OF A NEW
BILL THAT WOULD REQUIRE DRUNK
DRIVING DETECTION TO BE
MANDATORY IN NEW VEHICLES.
THE BILL NEVER PASSED, BUT SHE
WILL NEVER FORGET THE WORDS FROM
ONE ADVOCATE THAT DAY, WORDS
THAT WOULD GALVANIZE HER AS AN
ADVOCATE HERSELF.
>> IT IS BECAUSE OF YOUR FAMILY
THAT WE’RE GONNA END DRUNK
DRIVING IN THE U.S., AND... I
COULDN’T WALK AWAY FROM THAT.
>> Grant: THIS TIME, SHE IS
HELPING TO PUSH A PAIR OF NEW
BILLS KNOWN AS THE RIDE ACT AND
THE HALT ACT IN THE HOUSE, BEING
LED BY DEBBIE DINGELL.
>> THERE HAVE BEEN TOO MANY
DEATHS, TOO MANY SENSELESS
DEATHS.
>> Grant: IT WOULD MANDATE WAYS
TO DETECT DRUNK DRIVERS IN NEW
CARS, THAT SOME ARE ALREADY
DOING LIKE LANE DRIFTING OR
SPEED CHANGES.
AND OTHERS LIKE SYSTEMS THAT CAN
DETECT ALCOHOL IN A DRIVER’S
BREATH OR USE INFRARED LET ON
THE STEERING WHEEL TO GAUGE IT
THROUGH A DRIVER’S SKIN AND
WRITTEN WITH BIPARTISAN SUPPORT,
SOMETHING IN SHORT SUPPLY IN
WASHINGTON.
>> I DON’T THINK IT’S
IMPOSSIBLE.
WHEN I’M TRYING TO GET SOMETHING
DONE, I TRY TO BRING EVERYBODY
TO THE TABLE.
>> Grant: AND IT’S CAUSE FOR
HOPE WHEN BEFORE THERE WASN’T.
FOR MOST PEOPLE, ENDING DRUNK
DRIVING SEEMS LIKE A TASK SO BIG IT CAN’T BE TACKLED.
IT CAN’T BE TACKLED.
>> WHAT DO YOU THINK?
>> THE TECHNOLOGY IS AVAILABLE,
WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR?
>> Grant: AND THEY ARE COMMITTED
TO WORKING WITH STAKEHOLDERS TO
END DRUNK DRIVING BUT STOPPED
SHORT OF SAYING THEY SUPPORT THE
LEGISLATION.
GRANT HERMES, LOCAL 4.
>> Karen: REYNA IS TESTIFYING IN
FRONT OF CONGRESS TOMORROW
HOPING TO GET MORE SUPPORT FOR