On November 18, 2023, my son, Evan Wieczenski's life was irrevocably changed. He was hit head-on by an underage drunk driver, leaving him severely disabled due to a diffuse axonal traumatic brain injury. Active and enthusiastic, Evan was a Senior Airman serving the 109th squadron at the Stratton Air base and a college student at SUNY Canton, pursuing a degree in psychology. His dream was to bring a positive change to the world by serving as a mental health counselor for adolescents.

Today, Evan's dreams are unfulfilled because of a moment of irresponsible and reckless behavior. Stories like Evan's are sadly too common; in the U.S., 28 people die every day in motor vehicle crashes involving an alcohol-impaired driver (source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Despite this, our DWI punishments often do not match the lifelong devastation they can cause.

We urgently need to shift our focus to prevent such avoidable tragedies. Let's push for stricter punishments for DWI offenses including extended license suspensions, longer probation, mandatory rehab program and If the offense severely injured/killed an innocent person, mandatory jail time. These changes will serve as a deterrence, making our roads safer and helping to prevent more lives from being altered forever by drunk drivers.

Evan can't pursue his dreams, but we can still work towards creating a safer community. Our children and their futures deserve that. Please help us by signing this petition. Let's Change DWI punishments together.