Honor Their Daughters
Honor Their Daughters | End Impaired Driving
Bill DeMott and Bernadette Thompson both lost their daughters. Kayla Marie Thompson was 23 years old, a mother starting her career and continuing her education when she was killed by a distracted driver. Keri Anne DeMott was 20, studying Sociology at the University of Central Florida in the hopes of becoming a social worker to help children and families in need and was killed by a drunk driver.
The DeMott and Thompson families have come together to spread awareness on the tragic reality of what happens when people drive under the influence of alcohol and drugs or drive distracted. Countless lives are lost and so many more families are impacted every year when drivers make the choice to drive distracted or impaired. The reality is that these deaths are preventable. They ask you to save a life by saying NO to distracted or impaired driving.
On your next trip, and on every trip, put down your phone, food, or any other distractions. Check your medications to see which make you drowsy or unable to drive. NEVER drive after drinking or taking any mind-altering drug.
No distraction is worth an empty seat. #NoMoreEmptySeats
Keri Anne's Story
On October 10th, 2015 Keri Anne DeMott was killed by a multiple DUI offender while driving home. She was only 20 years old. On April 22nd, 2016, the man responsible for taking Keri Anne's life was sentenced to the mandatory 15 years in the Florida Department of Corrections, and his driver's license was revoked for life.
The Keri Anne DeMott Foundation was started by the DeMott family to honor Keri Anne's memory and to share her story, with the goal to one day end drunk, impaired, and distracted driving.
Keri Anne's father and foundation founder, Bill, travels nationwide speaking to law enforcement agencies, school students, colleges, corporations, and other community organizations sharing Keri Anne's story in order to make everyone more aware of how the decisions they make every day can have a significant impact on the lives of those around them.
Kayla Marie's Story
In 2019, Kayla Marie lost her life at the age of 23 to a distracted driver. She was a loving mother of two daughters, a student at Valencia college, and had just started her career as a medical assistant.
Since her passing, Kayla Marie’s family has sought to educate the community and share their daughter’s story.
Kayla Marie’s final act of kindess has left a lasting legacy. She had registered her wish to become an organ donor before her passing and gave the gift of sight to five people through cornea donation. The Orange County Tax Collector’s office partners with OurLegacy and Donate Life Florida to save lives through donation.
Say “YES” to donate life when you renew your license, or register today at donatelifeflorida.org.
