Missing AnnaLeah. . .
Some of my favorite memories of AnnaLeahSome of my favorite memories of AnnaLeah
AnnaLeah. . . gone too soon. May 15, 1995 to May 4, 2013
All posts by Marianne
It’s almost like the Lord inspired that artist to make a statue of AnnaLeah and Mary.
It’s almost like the Lord inspired that artist to make a statue of AnnaLeah and Mary.
I planted some sunflowers behind the statue in hopes of growing some morning glories that will climb up them and put the girls in a garden. Might attract some real butterflies. Vanessa found a bug caught in the tiny butterfly net one day.
I had to thin the sunflowers today and felt bad deciding which ones would get to survive and which ones would get pulled up.
And I would have felt bad leaving the girls out in the rain except I knew that they probably would have enjoyed it–based on past experience! (photos of Mary from May 10 and July 25, 2012–some rare rainstorms in Midland, Texas, and one of AnnaLeah in a raincoat in Michigan with her siblings playing in the puddles).
Just had a phone interview with ABC. Pray for them to consider Underride Issue worth a report.
Just had a phone interview with ABC. Pray that they decide the Underride Roundtable is something that they want to attend and report on.
A simple way for you to support truck underride research & advocacy efforts
If you LIKE the facebook page of the Nurenberg, Paris, Heller & McCarthy law firm during the month of May, they will donate $2 to AnnaLeah & Mary for Truck Safety (maximum $1500).
To add your support, go here and LIKE their page: https://www.facebook.com/NurenbergParis/
We are excited at this opportunity to benefit from a community-minded organization.
We were privileged to become friends with one of their attorneys, Andy Young, who also holds a CDL, owns a small truck company, and is passionate about truck safety. He will be the Moderator of the panel discussion at the upcoming Underride Roundtable at IIHS on May 5.
May Day: Remembering Our Butterfly Girls–Full of Life, Frozen in Time
Last year, I saw this statue of two young girls excited about a butterfly in a jar. It reminded me so much of AnnaLeah and Mary. We decided to get it this year to help us as we remember the 3rd anniversary of our truck crash, on May 4, 2013, which took Mary and AnnaLeah from us.
They were a bit older (though not much), than these girls seem to be, when their lives were frozen in time–with no warning, rhyme or reason. Those of us whom they left behind will continue on with our lives–getting older, making new memories–forced to do so without them joining in.
We will be different than we might have otherwise been if they had not been snatched from us. And they have been robbed of all that might have been. Our two fun-loving, creative and adventurous girls.
Imagine how that unnatural disturbance is taking place all over our country and globe as many lives are unexpectedly and tragically changed forever. 33,000/year traffic crash deaths in the U.S. on average. Year after year.
We will remember you, precious ones.
AnnaLeah & Mary: Our Butterfly Girls
Just got home from the latest side guard crash test. Watch it here!
April 30. 2016
We just got home from helping with Aaron Kiefer’s latest side guard test. Watch it here:
Aaron will be taking this truck with his innovative side/rear guard to the Underride Roundtable at IIHS next week for everyone to see. Then he plans to leave it there in hopes that IIHS will do their own crash testing of his prototype.
Here’s my report on the first crash test of his side guard prototype on March 13, 2016: Witnessed safety defect in action at underride crash tests; this is what snuffed out my daughters’ lives.
Photo album from a day of crash testing from preparation to execution:
If only more had been done to protect against underride before it was too late for Mary and AnnaLeah.
Media Advisory: May 5 Underride Roundtable at IIHS to address truck underride deaths & injuries
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An impressive group headed for the Truck Underride Roundtable at IIHS May 5.
I heard from Andy Young today. He will be the Moderator for the Panel Discussion at the Underride Roundtable next week. He is eagerly anticipating that event after just returning from attending “The Commercial Vehicle” show in Birmingham England. He said that he has lots to share from that experience. I’m looking forward to hearing all about it.
I am also happy to be able to say that at the Underride Roundtable on May 5, 2016, over 65 representatives from the trucking industry, government, safety advocates, engineers, crash reconstructionists, attorneys, and media will be on hand at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s Vehicle Research Center to “sit down at the table together” and discuss and demonstrate truck underride crashes.
This group will include representatives from:
- Truck Trailer Manufacturers Association
- American Trucking Associations
- Seven Hills Engineering
- Airflow Deflector
- Accident Research Specialists
- Sapa Extrusions
- Truck Safety Coalition
- AnnaLeah & Mary for Truck Safety
- Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
- Virginia Tech Transportation Institute
- Virginia Tech
- East Carolina University
- National Transportation Safety Board, Office of Highway Safety
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- J. Hunt Transport
- Batzer Engineering
- Injury and Crash Analysis
- Vanguard Trailer
- Smart Cap Technologies
- UNC Highway Safety Research Center
- Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety
- Volpe, The National Transportation Systems Center
- Interstate Distributor
- NYC Citywide Adminstrative Services
- Nurenberg Paris Law Firm
- Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance
- Sanders & Parks Law Firm
- The University of North Carolina at Charlotte
- North Carolina Department of Transportation
- Cargo Transporters
- Stoughton Trailers
- Great Dane Trailers
- Wabash National
- North Carolina State Highway Patrol
- City of Boston, Mayor’s Office of New Urban Mechanics
- Interstate Distributors
- Media representatives
- Underride victims and families
- and joined by an unknown number of individuals globally as the event will be livestreaming at this webcast link.
It is unfortunate that, over the decades in which no adequate solution to this tragic problem has come about, there has been much miscommunication, misunderstanding, misinformation, and mistakes made. I, for one, am ready to encourage things to move forward with positive momentum–aiming for the best possible underride protection.
Driven distracted lately? You and who else? Where will we end up?
With a national focus on Distracted Driving this month, I thought that I would highlight the posts which I have written on that deadly subject: Distracted Driving posts on annaleahmary.com.
“2016 GHSA Annual Meeting Crossroads: The Intersection of Technology and Driver Behavior”
2016 GHSA Annual Meeting Crossroads: The Intersection of Technology and Driver Behavior
Seattle, Washington | Aug. 27 – 31
Agenda | Hotel & Travel | Sponsor Opportunities
