Father of killed alumna to speak

Alcohol Awarness week takes place from Oct. 20 to Oct. 27

By Abby Sessock | gargoyle@flagler.edu

“She was a repeat offender,” said Richard Sadow about the drunk driver that took his daughter’s life. “If she was put in jail the first time then this would have never happened and my daughter would still be alive.”

Jennifer Sadow was killed in a drunk driving accident 12 years ago. Her father, Richard Sadow, said he tells her story to others with the hope that someone will learn from it and not have to deal with the heartache that he faces every day.

It was on the night of May 15, 1996, when Bobby Myers was driving the car with his girlfriend, Jennifer, in the front seat.

It was on this night at approximately 10 p.m. when Kimberli Jordan, a 42-year-old unemployed nurse, crashed into their car and killed Jennifer on impact. Jordan’s blood alcohol level was .19, which according to the police, is more than double the legal limit. Jordan was charged with DUI manslaughter.

Jennifer was only 21-years-old when her life was taken from her. She graduated from Flagler College one month prior to this tragic event in 1996 and earned a degree in deaf education. She was accepted to teach at The Florida School for the Deaf and Blind that fall.

“Her dreams were coming true, I just wish she had more time,” said Sadow. “She had already touched so many lives; she had a lot more to give.”

After the accident, her position at The Florida School for the Deaf and Blind was given to her best friend, Betsy Richardson. Her father said that was something his daughter would have wanted.

Jennifer’s best friends and college roommates were Richardson and Melanie Redington, both of whom also attended Flagler.

Jennifer was buried in her hometown of Miami. For the funeral, Mr. and Mrs. Sadow personally paid for a bus to transport all of Jennifer’s friends to the service, and they put them all in a hotel to stay.

Sadow explained how every person on the bus presented him and his wife with a card to tell them how proud they should be of the kind of person their daughter was. Ten years later, the friends went back on their own to honor Jennifer’s life.

In 2006, Richardson and Redington put together a fundraising event and raised enough money to create a scholarship in Jenniferí’s honor. The Jennifer Sadow scholarship offers $1,000 a year to any eligible deaf education major here at Flagler.

Sadow recalled how he and his daughter were practically best friends. He said Jennifer used to invite him to go out with her and her friends. He remembered they would go dancing and to the beach.

“When she passed, I knew that there were no words unsaid and no words unexpressed,” said Sadow.

“We both knew how much we cared about each other.”

Reflecting on the fact that both he and his daughter had loved the movie House of Cards, he quoted from the film, “People never die, they just go from one house to another and even though she may be in a better place, I wish she was here to give me a hug.”

Every year the Bacchus Network strives to educate people about the dangers of alcohol. Alcohol Awareness week on campus will take place from Oct. 20 through Oct. 27. This is a national event in which Flagler and many other organizations will be participating. Monday through Friday, various speakers will speak on the topic of driving while intoxicated.

Some of the speakers for this event include Darby Taylor from EPIC, Officer Clifford Kristin Nelson, an offender from MADD and Richard Sadow.

All of these events will take place in the Gamache Theatre in the Student Center. On Oct. 21, Sadow will share his story, hoping to bring more awarness to this issue.

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