BRYAN, Texas — As many people celebrate labor day weekend and the return of college football, not all have planned a sober ride home.
A mom in Bryan has become one of TxDOT's faces of drunk driving.
Pam Todaro lost her 25-year-old son Dillon Davis in 2014, when he was killed in a collision near Crawford. Today, Todaro dedicates her professional life to making sure no other parent has to suffer what her family’s been through.
"It was 6:45 in the morning and there was a knock on the door," Todaro recalled tearfully. "I looked outside and there were two DPS troopers’ cars in my driveway. And I knew this was bad news.”
When Dillon Davis was made the unfortunate decision to drive his pickup truck while intoxicated, the resulting collision with a concrete post killed him instantly. As much as it hurt his mother to reflect on the details of that night, Todaro has retained the police photos from his accident, providing them to the Texas Department of Transportation for the purpose of creating a video.
"It's hard, but I also see how impactful sharing my story with these kids can be, and is," she said.
Seven years after Davis' death, Todaro has continued her lifelong healing process by taking steps to teach young people driving safety skills.
Not only has Todero joined TxDOT in creating content for public service videos, but she now works for the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension’s RED program, a TxDOT-funded program that stands for "Reality Education for Drivers."
"Out of all the jobs I’ve had, other than being a mom," Todaro said, "it's been the best job I’ve ever had."
This educational and hands-on course is provided for teens and young adults who have been ticketed or arrested for driving-related offenses.
“We’ve gotten so many wonderful comments and evaluations, feedback from the kiddos, to where I know it’s making an impact," said Todaro.
To learn more about the RED program, click here.
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