Lynn Haven Family Donating Money to MADD After Tragic Bike Accident
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Updated: 8:21 PM Nov 8, 2009
Lynn Haven Family Donating Money to MADD After Tragic Bike Accident
A Lynn Haven family is trying to do something positive in the face of a terrible tragedy. Two years ago, Art Clemons was killed by a drunk driver in southern Alabama as he was riding his bicycle. His family members have helped design a T-shirt in his memory, raising over $500 for Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
Posted: 5:00 PM Nov 8, 2009
Reporter: Matt de Nesnera
Email Address: matthew.denesnera@wjhg.com

Local Family Help M-A-D-D
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46-year-old Art Clemons was killed Labor Day 2007 in Baldwin County, Alabama, while riding his bike on the side of the road. According to court reports, a man in his early 20's, Patrick Ballard, was driving drunk when he struck Clemons and a friend, killing them both.

Mandi Chesser, Art's family member, says, "I was angry at first. I was mad, I didn't know why. I had questions as to why God would take a wonderful person instead of a drunk person."

Mandi and her daughter, Madison decided to design a T-shirt in memory of Art. Madison approached her art teacher at Lynn Haven Elementary, Kevin Collier, for help.

Collier says, "It's nice when kids take the initiative and just when they want to tackle something so big. Sometimes as adults, we sort of shy away from things like that, but kids go into it full speed."

By selling the T-shirt, the Chessers raised $557. They will be donating that money to the Alabama chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). As it says on the shirts, the family hopes that money will help "continue the journey."

Mandi says, "I think that Art did good will while he was here on Earth and I think that he's finishing whatever it is up there in the heavens."

Art was going to take care of Madison, his god-daughter, if anything happened to her parents. She remembers spending time with art and his family: "I like the family reunions cause I always got to play with his daughter and his son, and all my other cousins. It was really fun."

Madison says Art wanted the family to keep running, and they have. Every year, his family participates in the Seaside half-marathon, proudly wearing the shirts in his memory.

According to court reports, the driver, Patrick Ballard, had struck and killed a 64-year-old cyclist in 2005. He pleaded guilty to manslaughter earlier this year and will face up to 40-years in prison. The Chessers say all drivers need to slow down and be on the look-out for bicyclists.

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