Walk like MADD: Organization works to prevent drunk driving tragedies

Mothers Against Drunk Drivers fundraising walk comes to Chicago

The nation's largest nonprofit that works to end drunk driving is bringing their Walk Like MADD fundraiser to Chicago this weekend. The profits from the event will support MADD's mission and fund also go to helping victims.

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. - Every 39 minutes, someone dies in a drunk driving crash.

For many families, that statistic is very personal.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) has been fighting like mad since 1980.

The organization was founded by a mother's pain and sadly punctuated by so many others in the last 40 years.

"On June 10, 2018, my 23-year-old son Austin was murdered by a drunk driver," said Sheila Lockwood, MADD volunteer coordinator

Austin Lockwood was part of a tight-knit family. He was a fun-loving kid.

"I never want to see another family go through what we've had to go through it is, every day you wake up to the same nightmare," said Lockwood.

Austin's life was taken by a family friend, who was driving while impaired.

For families impacted by drunk driving, the pain never goes away.

FOX 32's Natalie Bomke lost her cousin, Natalie Haynes, to a drunk driver. She was named after her.

By supporting MADD, organizers say you will be able to support education and prevention when it comes to drunk driving.

"It's going to help with our prevention programming where we go into schools and speak to students about self-advocacy and not drinking underage, not getting into cars with impaired drivers," said Erin Payton, MADD Regional Executive Director

Purpose driven by pain and hope that we can end an impaired driving epidemic.

"My goal is to put an end to this in honor of Austin and all the other victims," said Lockwood.

This Saturday, FOX 32's Natalie Bomke will be emceeing the Walk Like MADD fundraising event for the local chapter.

It's happening from 9 a.m. to noon in Schaumburg at Boomer's Stadium.

For more information, go to walklikemadd.org.