In a heartfelt speech aiming to curb the scourge of drunken driving, the parents of a Pennsylvania State Trooper killed by a drunk driver reached out to high school students in Clearfield and Centre counties. Debra and Ken Iwaniec, whose son Kenton was tragically taken from them in 2008, shared Kenton's story in hopes of making a lasting impact on young minds about the dangers of impaired driving.
While speaking at Philipsburg-Osceola Senior High School and West Branch Area Junior Senior High School, the Iwaniecs detailed the fateful night of March 27, 2008, when their son ended his shift at the Avondale Barracks in Chester County and was just two miles from safety when his life was cut short by an impaired driver. This outreach was part of a collaboration between Pennsylvania Department of Transportation District 2 and the Highway Safety Network, an initiative looking to put brakes on DUI rates.
The Trooper Kenton Iwaniec Memorial Foundation, forged from the unspeakable pain of loss, now serves to honor DUI victims and to light a beacon against the darkness of impaired driving. Debra and Ken aim to rally the community towards reducing DUI incidents, continuing their son's legacy of protecting and serving. "By sharing Kenton's story, we want to influence people's choices, empower them to prevent such tragedies," Debra Iwaniec said during one of the sessions, as reported by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.
The foundation also raises funds through annual events, including a 5K/10K race and a Sporting Clay Event at Nemacolin Woodlands Shooting Academy. The proceeds from these events supply state and local law enforcement officers with preliminary breath testing devices. Thanks to these efforts, over 1,600 PBTs have been distributed throughout Pennsylvania, representing countless potential lives saved from the insidious threat of drunk driving.
