Families of Wrong-Way Accident Victims Present Students with Scholarships

by Sharon Aron Baron November 18, 2014

by Sharon Aron Baron November 18, 2014 2 minutes read

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Marisa’s Way Scholarship winners: Seniors Ashleigh Dinnall, Rachel Wechsler, and Junior Max Baron. Photo by Eunice Ramirez, BRACE Advisor

By: Sharon Aron Baron

On Monday, the families of Marisa Catronio and Kaitlyn Ferrante appeared at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, where the nonprofit organization of Marisa’s Way awarded scholarships to students as well as discussed driver’s safety on the day marking the first anniversary of their tragic deaths.

On November 17, at 1:45 a.m. Marisa Catronio and Kaitlyn Ferrante, 21, were driving on the Sawgrass Expressway towards Coral Ridge Drive when Kayla Mendoza, 20, illegally entered the exit ramp, causing a head-on collision that killed them both. Mendoza survived.

Shortly after the crash, while still grieving for their daughter Marisa, the Catronio family created Marisa’s Way to ensure their lost lives led to greater highway safety. The organization is now offering several Coral Springs High School students a chance to win scholarships.

“We presented three scholarships today, said Gary Catronio, CEO of Marisa’s Way. “The essays were good. We always pick up bits and pieces, and it’s nice to see their input. Anything they can say to encourage safe driving or discourage [dangerous driving] is good.”

Seniors Rachel Wechsler and Ashleigh Dinnall won $1,000, and Junior Max Baron won $500.

Marisa and Kaitlyn were both 2010 graduates of Marjory Stoneman Douglas. It was the first High School where students were presented with scholarships for writing an essay with the best idea to improve highway safety.

The organization has already implemented new wrong-way detection systems on the Sawgrass Expressway’s off-ramps which light up and alert FHP when wrong-way drivers approach. The new pilot program for this detection system is now installed on five exit ramps on the Sawgrass Expressway, ten on the Turnpike Extension, and several in Orlando and Tallahassee.

Catronio said they are working on other ways to make the roadways safer. “I’m working on retractable spike sticks. If you can puncture the tires on a car, you can keep it from going over 30 mph. My daughter experienced 97 [mph speeds]. The one that I’m designing, once they pass the wrong-way signs, the retractable spike strips are deployed.”

After the assembly, the families led a procession of friends and supporters on a drive on the Sawgrass Expressway where the accident occurred.

On Monday night, Chinese lanterns were released into the sky in honor of Kaitlyn and Marisa.

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Sharon Aron Baron

Editor of Talk Media and writer for Coral Springs Talk. CST was created in 2012 to provide News, Views, and Entertainment for the residents of Coral Springs and the rest of South Florida.