Text Free For Tita

 

We all know too well how it feels to lose a loved one.  The pain is even worse when it could’ve been so easily avoided.  In 2016, we lost two of our closest family friends in an accident as a result of texting and driving.  As devastating as it was, that event has lead our little sister, Janae (and close friend to the daughter who passed in the accident) to start the “Text Free for Tita” movement that is sweeping across the United States.  With James Schaffer’s permission, we have decided to utilize this platform to honor our dear friends, Emma and Tita, by sharing their story here.  Additionally, there is a candle that we have created with Emma’s favorite flower as the fragrance.  

 

An overview of the accident.  

On April 9, 2016, Emma and Tita were driving home from dinner when their car was struck head on in a collision. The other driver was also a mother with her daughter in the car who was texting a friend while driving southbound on Highway 377. The car veered off into the northbound lane where both mothers and daughters were killed on impact. Tita was only 12 at the time of her death. The text sent that cost four lives that day was, “I’ll see you at the skate park.”

We should all remember, every day, to refrain from texting and driving.  No matter the reason.  

For more information on the story and the Text Free for Tita scholarships, you can visit the links below.

2 adults, 2 children killed in Denton crash (fox4news.com)

Argyle Teen Motivated by Friend’s Loss in Distracted Driving Campaign – NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth (nbcdfw.com)

Tita Shaffer Distracted Driving Scholarship | Patterson Law Group (pattersonpersonalinjury.com)

Loss of best friend leads to lifesaving mission - Cross Timbers Gazette | Southern Denton County | Flower Mound | News

Scholarship Honors Memory Of North Texas Girl Killed In Crash Caused By Distracted Driver – CBS Dallas / Fort Worth (cbslocal.com)

Teen queen leads distracted driving awareness campaign after friend's death | News | dentonrc.com