Brandon Crash Survivor to Participate in 6th Annual MADD Walk

An 8-year-old Brandon girl who survived a drunk-driving accident will be among the participants in the sixth annual Tampa Walk Like MADD 5K fundraising walk Friday, March 22.

Summer Rosian lost her mother and nearly lost her life four years ago when a drunk driver going the wrong way on the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway struck their car.

Now, dozens of surgeries later, the little girl that doctors thought might never walk again has raised $5,000 and will take part in the annual MADD walk to raise funds for victims of drunk-driving accidents.

Sponsored by Bright House Networks, festivities begin at 5 p.m. and run until 8:30 p.m. on the campus of the University of South Florida. The walk starts at 6:30 p.m.

"We encourage families and groups of friends and co-workers to lace up their sneakers and join us for this year's walk," said Amber Saltzman, Walk Like MADD coordinator. "With everyone's help, we can and will eliminate drunk driving, a 100 percent preventable crime."

Hillsborough was the deadliest county in Florida in drunk-driving crashes in 2011. Sixty-seven people died in Hillsborough County that year, according to Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

Walk Like MADD is expected to raise $65,000 to help further MADD's mission to eliminate drunk driving, support the victims of this violent crime and prevent underage drinking.

Registration is $15 for those ages 5-21 and $20 for those who are 21 and over and includes a T-shirt and participation in the food and festivities.

Corporations and other groups are encouraged to form teams of 10 or more and are asked to raise $100 each through donations.

Visit the website to register, donate, volunteer or for more information.

For more details, click here.

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