Brad Deanda: 10/5/70 – 12/11/16

By Averie McDaniel,

“Brad Deanda” is much more than a name on a road marker to me. In case you were wondering, a road marker is a sign on the road that reminds people to drive safely, and the sign reads the name of a person whose life was lost due to theirs or someone else’s unsafe driving choices. I never knew what a road marker was until I learned that my uncle’s name was going to be on one. It’s such a nice honor for his name to be on one of these signs, but his name deserves to be seen in so many more places today.

My uncle’s name deserves to be included in a group text for a night out or worn on his fireman’s badge, not appearing on a sign that so many people will pass by each day without giving it a second thought. My uncle saved so many lives, but it only took one person to end his, because of another person’s poor decision made in a split second. The next time you see a road marker, please remember the person behind it and the life that was lost in order for it to be put up.

My uncle was a hero who lit up every room he was in with his amazing stories. This road marker that he has left behind tells a story too. It’s a much sadder story than the ones he used to tell, but it has a lesson- to make good decisions while driving. I wish more people would take away the lesson from my uncle’s story instead of learning it the hard way, themselves. Hopefully, this road marker will remind people of the consequences of careless driving so fewer road markers will have to be put up in the future.