Parents share story of daughter’s death on National Seat Belt Day
HOUSTON - Tuesday is National Seat Belt Day. According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, in 2021, more than 26,000 passenger vehicle occupants were killed and about 50% of those killed were not buckled up.
The Kailee Mills Foundation was founded after a fatal accident that took the life of a 16-year-old girl.
Kailee Mills was killed in a car crash on October 28, 2017.
Kailee had just left her home in Spring and got into the car with friends to attend a Halloween party. She was in the backseat and took her seatbelt off briefly to take a selfie with a friend.
In those moments, the driver of the car veered off the road.
"I had a bad feeling when I got that call," stated Kailee’s mother, Wendy Mills. "And on the way there I was calling her and calling her and not getting an answer and that just worried me more."
Kailee was ejected from the vehicle and died at the scene on Rothwood Road.
A few days following the crash, David Mills realized there was an opportunity to share his daughter’s story to motivate kids, teens, and adults to buckle up.
"Just a few days after her crash, there was several hundred students that showed up over there (Kailee’s memorial on Rothwood Road) the morning we put a cross up," stated David Mills. "And they were all there praying and I went out there and spoke to the kids and realized what an impact it made and said to myself you know I need to do this a lot more. I need to start speaking at high schools and connecting with these kids, and letting them know that this is something serious, and it’s so simple just to wear your seatbelt, but the consequences can be tragic."
Now, the non-profit organization help spreads awareness about seatbelt safety by speaking in schools, provides families with much needed assistance when a sudden loss or extended hospitalization stay occurs, and awards scholarships to students across the United States.
"We get a lot of letters from families, from people who have been in crashes that say I was in a crash, I had my seatbelt on, I didn’t use to wear my seatbelt. And thanks to what you guys are doing, probably saved my life. So those things keep us going that keeps us motivated," said David Mills.
The Kailee Mills Foundation is hoping to motivate the community to donate $14 as November 14 is National Seat Belt Day.
FOX 26 Anchor Caroline Collins will serve as an emcee and Honorary Chair for Saturday’s Buckled in Black Gala to benefit the Kailee Mills Foundation.
This is one of many events the non-profit hosts to raise critical funding for their mission.