The Hero of the Week is brought to you by Kidde Worry-Free Alarms… Be a safety hero for your family. Begin by replacing outdated smoke alarms. Learn other simple steps at Kidde.com. Kidde – Technology that saves lives. Find out how you can nominate a “Hero of the Week” at the bottom of the page.
We’re always on the hunt for a special person or group of people to recognize as our Kidde Hero of the Week, and this time around, we came across this story about an amazing father and teacher in People:
In January 2008, Doug Herbert lost both of his sons in a terrible car accident. His son Jon was doing 80 in a 45 mph zone when he lost control of the car. After that wreck, Doug learned that motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death among teens. So, he founded BRAKES – Be Responsible And Keep Everyone Safe. It’s a non-profit offering teens safe driving classes.
That first year, 50 kids went through the class, and this year, more than eight thousand will receive life-saving lessons. In total, more than 20 thousand kids, across four states, have gone through the program – all for FREE!
Doug, a former professional drag racer, and a single dad, now works on his foundation full-time, while also raising his 17 year-old daughter. And, he constantly receives letters, emails and phone calls from parents who say their kids are alive because of what they learned in his class. Doug says that helping save other kids is the best way he knows to keep his own sons’ memories alive, and he’s sure they’d be proud!
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Kix’s Response:
Man, that is a heartbreaking story, but, thank you, Doug, for taking such a tough family tragedy and turning it into something so positive for these young people.
For more information about BRAKES, click here.
Nominate a Hero of the Week
Now, we want to know who has made a difference in your life. Nominate a local firefighter, police officer, EMT or someone who is serving our country in the military. It could even be a neighbor, family member or friend who lent a crucial helping hand. Let us know all about the person who you feel is a real life hero by emailing us here and please feel free to send us a picture!