SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Not everything happens for a reason. At least, that's what Laura Keenan believes.
She said there's no reason her husband needed to be killed while riding his bicycle. Still, she wants his death to make a difference.
To the average person, the photo above might depict just a normal street in Mission Valley. To Keenan, it's where her life changed forever.
“I drive by it a lot on the freeway and I wave to him and my son waves to him every time we see it," she said.
"It" refers to the memorial set up on Camino Del Rio S in honor of her late husband, Matt. In September 2021, he was riding his bike to the movies when he was hit and killed there by a driver.
“I knew his death was preventable," she told ABC 10News. "I didn't really know exactly how, but I just knew it didn't have to happen and I didn't want it to happen to anyone else.”
Now, Keenan is using her broken heart to fix what she feels is a broken system. She partnered with the San Diego County Bike Coalition and founded the local chapter of Families for Safe Streets.
“We are a couple of families and friends who have lost loved ones to traffic crashes or have survived crashes ourselves," she said. "We advocate for safer streets, safer vehicles, safer speeds and also support each other in the process.”
"Our voices were a big reason why the City of San Diego chose to fund the Fatal 15 most dangerous intersections in last year's budget cycle, helped get quick build, protected bike lanes installed on Park Blvd and other areas in our city, to name a few," she added. "This year we're asking the City of San Diego to implement safety measures to 'Get Kids to School Safely.' Our asks are: 1) Fix this Year's Fatal 15 Intersections, Improve the 6 most Dangerous Pedestrian Corridors in our City, all along routes to school and 3) Reduce speed limits in school zones using AB 43."
Nationally, traffic collisions are one of the leading causes of death. Keenan said behind every incident is a family mourning the loss of a loved one — a family she hopes to inspire.
Katie Gordon, whose husband was killed walking in downtown San Diego, said, “It’s almost like she’s creating hope for us. That things will change and other people in our community don’t have to lose a loved one.”
Through that loss, they've gained a passionate advocate in Laura, making sure her husband's legacy lives on through more than just his memorial.
“I think he'd be really proud of how his honor, his memory, is helping others to become safer.”
We want to recognize Keenan for her hard work, turning that pain into purpose. ABC 10News and LEAD San Diego have chosen her as our Leadership Award Winner for the month of February.
To nominate someone for our 10News Leadership Award, click here.
Follow ABC 10News Anchor Max Goldwasser on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
