[nabs-l] tragic news

[Scott C. LaBarre]

Greetings, the below release describes an extremely tragic event which took place in our community today.  We appreciate your thoughts and  prayers as we go forward.  This story has been all over the local news and bloggers have already been making many ridiculous statements about the blind.  

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

COLORADO CENTER FOR THE BLIND EXPRESSES GREAT SORROW 

AFTER TRAGIC ACCIDENT

 

December 17, 2010     Littleton, Colorado

Contact:  Julie Deden, Executive Director, 303 653-5987

 

Early this morning, three students of the Colorado Center for the Blind were waiting at a Regional Transportation District bus stop at the Southeast corner of West Mineral Avenue and South Utica Drive in Littleton when a driver, headed north on Utica, lost control of her car as she was turning east onto Mineral and then hit the three students, one man and two women.  Emergency personnel rushed the three to Littleton Hospital.  The man later died due to massive injuries.  The women are in stable condition and being treated.  The Colorado Center for the Blind is not at liberty to release the names of the students or further personal information at this time while family members and loved ones are being contacted.  

 

"The students and staff of the CCB are in great shock and grieving," says Julie Deden, Executive Director of the CCB.  "Our love, prayers, and tremendous sorrow go out to the family and friends of the student we have lost and we are praying hard for the two women still in the hospital," continued Deden.  "At the Center, we are first and foremost a family and we will love and support one another through this great tragedy which has struck us at a time of year normally reserved for joy and celebration," reflected Deden.

 

The three students were on their way to the Center for its annual holiday party immediately prior to a winter break.  The CCB has requested assistance from Littleton city officials, and grief counselors are present at the Center to help staff and students address this tremendous tragedy.  "We will do whatever is necessary to help our family through this difficult time," said Diane McGeorge, Chairperson of the CCB's Board of Directors and herself a former Executive Director of the Center.

 

According to the Littleton Police, icy road conditions played a significant role in today's accident.  "Our students' blindness had absolutely nothing to do with the accident," said McGeorge.  "Our entire community is reeling from this terrible incident," said Scott LaBarre, President of the National Federation of the Blind of Colorado, the Center's chief sponsor.  "These students were simply waiting for their bus like hundreds of thousands of other metro commuters on their way to work or school.  The breadth and scope of this tragedy cannot be expressed in words," commented LaBarre.

 

For more information about the CCB, go to www.cocenter.org or call 303 778-1130.  The Center has been offering independence training to blind youth, adults, and seniors since 1988.   

 

 

   

  
Scott C. LaBarre, Esq.

LaBarre Law Offices P.C.
1660 South Albion Street, Ste. 918
Denver, Colorado 80222
303 504-5979 (voice)
303 757-3640 (fax)
slabarre at labarrelaw.com (e-mail)
www.labarrelaw.com (website)

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