PENELOPE MURNANE

When I was 12 years old my whole world was turned upside down and disrupted.  I was the only survivor of a drunk driving crash that happened on Easter Sunday, April 19, 1981.  My family was simply returning home to Cape May Courthouse, NJ from a vacation in the Florida panhandle.  We were anticipating moving to Frankfurt, West Germany in a few weeks after we got home.  We had our passports and all we had to do was pack.  But a drunk driver altered those exciting plans for my family.  We had just fueled up our family station wagon, a 1970s era Volvo for the next leg of our journey home from the beach.  We were on a two lane highway that was the scenic route through Virginia to the ferry that led to Cape May, NJ that would carry us home.  A drunk driver fell asleep at the wheel of his Ford LTD, crossed the center line and struck our family car head on.  My Mom was sitting in the front seat beside my Dad.  My brother and I were in the back seat.  My Dad who was a veteran of the Vietnam War, a pilot who refueled planes in mid-air in a C-130 tanker plane could not navigate his way out of the deadly path of the drunk driver.  My Mom flew threw the front windshield to hit the pavement where she lay.  My Dad and brother were pinned in the car which was now upside down.  I was hanging out of my window.  We always had our windows open to let in the cool air.  A hero, Robert Lee Gamble, saw the whole crash.  He had seen my family at the gas station where he was fueling up his car too.  Robert sprang to action and pulled me out to safety.  It's because of his heroic actions that I'm able to be here today.  Thank you Robert Lee Gamble!  
Sadly, drunk driving still impacts people's lives daily.  This is why I volunteer to share my story at Victim Impact Panels whereever I have lived and particpate in Walks to honor my family and raise awareness.  I've participated in VIPs in New Mexico, Indiana, Maryland, and Florida.  I've done Walks to Remember in Maryland and Florida.  
All of the funds raised in this Walk goes to support MADD's Mission to prevent drunk and drugged driving.  Thank you for reading my story and I hope and pray your family is never impacted by drunk driving.