Walk held in memory of Charlotte bride killed in reported DUI crash after wedding reception

PINEVILLE, N.C. (WBTV) - On Sunday, family and friends of Samantha Miller gathered together at Pineville Lake Park to walk in memory of her and to spread awareness against drunk driving.

Miller was killed by an alleged drunk driver back in April shortly after her wedding reception in Folly Beach. Her husband was also hurt.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) held its annual ‘Walk like MADD’ fundraising event at the park.

Those who knew her wore shirts saying “Walk for Sam In Memory of Samantha Miller Hutchinson” while supporting MADD for a safer future.

Each year, MADD hosts the ‘Walk like MADD’ fundraising event to help them continue to help families impacted by drunk driving.

Family of Miller spoke at the event, encouraging the crowd to carry on her legacy by making a difference for others.

“Don’t leave here today and just be like, ‘Oh, that’s so sad’ and let it go at that. Tell someone to make a better choice and to plan. One thing I was proud about Sam is that if she was going out, she always knew she was taking an Uber,” a family member of Miller shared.

Jennifer Lichtneger, the state executive director of MADD North Carolina, said the number of drunk driving fatalities in the state has increased dramatically.

“So, if you take a look at some of those pinwheels, they each represent 466 people’s lives that were lost here driving in North Carolina in 2021. That’s over a 44% increase from before the pandemic in 2019,” said Lichtneger.

Money raised from Sunday’s walk goes toward helping Mothers Against Drunk Driving to continue their mission.

“Part of our mission is to provide support and services to anybody that’s been impacted by this crime. Whether that be emotional support or accompanying to a court or help to navigate the judicial system, that’s what we do,” shared Lichtneger.

Walk Like MADD exceeded their monetary goal of $10,000 in their ‘Walk for Sam’ Fundraiser. The organization raised over $15,000.

To learn more about Walk like MADD, click here.

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