Roslyn residents, law enforcement and elected officials walked Saturday to raise awareness over the dangers of impaired driving.
Roslyn eighth-graders Drew Hassenbein and Ethan Falkowitz, both 14 years old, were killed after being hit by an alleged drunk driver in May 2023. The deaths of the two rising tennis stars sent shockwaves throughout the entire community.
Two Roslyn High School sophomores, Summer Rosenblum and Marielle Streiner, wanted to turn their grief into action. The two girls started “Stay Alive, Don’t Drink and Drive,” a project designed to remind the community what is at stake when impaired drivers take to the road.
“Our mission is to spread as much awareness as possible, educate people on the dangers of drunk driving, and bring our community together,” Streiner, one of the walk organizers, said in an interview with the Roslyn News. “Our community suffered a huge tragedy over a year and a half ago that we are still grieving from.”
The walk is the first of what the two girls hope will be many events–in and outside of school–designed to make the community more aware of the perils involved in drunk driving.
The two girls worked with the Falkowitz family, the mayor of East Hills, and the deputy mayor to plan out logistical details for the event.
“This event isn’t just a walk. It is way more than that. It is about the strength of our community coming together to fight against drunk driving, educate others on the risks and consequences drunk driving entails, and how each and every one of us can make a difference,” Rosenblum said at the walk. “That difference starts today. Being here is making a difference already.”
In addition to Striener and Rosenblum, the event had several speakers, including state Sen. Jack Martins, members of law enforcement, as well as the father of Falkowitz and mother of Hassenbein. During the walk, students held signs with messages against the dangers of drunk driving.
They encouraged the crowd filled with their son’s classmates to keep the boy’s memory alive and make the right choices. He is advocating for a law in their memory called the “Grieving Families Act,” which would allow family members to seek damages for grief caused by a loved one’s death. The bill is expected to be brought up again this legislative session.
“Our community has been forever changed, and it is because of this that it is so important for all of us to be here today to honor these two special boys,” Streiner said before the walk. “While we are never to be the same again, we are that much more motivated to make sure to put an end to these tragedies for the future”
This story was edited on Nov. 19 to correct inaccuracies. It was originally reported that Draw Hassenbein’s father spoke at the event. This is incorrect. Hassenbein’s mother spoke.
