Information: www.omari-scholarship.org
Earlier this month I met a couple that taught me a lesson in resolve. Toni and Eva Hill do not waver in their commitment to invest in the community. Their motivation—a way to honor the memory of the son they lost in a car crash.
Malcolm “Omari” Hill was 23 when he was killed in car accident in October 2010. The younger Hill, a backseat passenger who was not wearing a seat belt, was a victim of distracted driving according to his father, Toni Hill. Through a scholarship fund they created that bears their son’s name, the Hill family hosts free safe instructional driving classes throughout the year for young adults ages 16-25.
The classes are primarily held at area library branches and led by certified driving instructors, who guide the attendees through a defensive driving course workbook from the National Safety Council.
Attendees can earn a certificate of completion at the end of the course. The sessions last for the majority of the day to get through all of the material, but Toni Hill insists that “Investing 6 to 8 hours to understand the whole driving experience is a small investment in your life.”
The day I visited a class, there were about 15 students present, some new drivers, others preparing to become new drivers. Students discussed what actions could become driving distractions, including applying makeup, combing hair, adjusting controls, loud music and more.
The instructor also led a discussion on ‘what if’ strategies, where students were asked to come up with scenarios and discuss how to handle situations such as, ‘What if the vehicle in front you suddenly stops?’ or ‘What if the car in front of you doesn’t turn with a signal?’
According to Toni Hill, they have sponsored 38 classes since and will continue the effort, but financing is a critical piece to the mission. The courses are largely funded by the Hill family, supplemented by donations. “When Omari passed, he had life insurance and we decided to use it in a way that would empower others to live,” Eva Hill said.
“There’s nothing like the pain of losing a child,” Eva Hill said of her son, who had turned his life around and was a math tutor and volunteer coach at Brown Middle School in Atlanta. ”This is the ultimate tragedy for any parent, for any person. We are very glad that we have been proactive in hosting the instructional safe driving classes. This allows us to feel better and we are able to empower others simultaneously.”
The Hill family says that their efforts are therapy for them. “If you have a tragedy in your life as such, be proactive and seek the counseling, the help, the encouragement that you need to cope with the issue, the accident, the pain that’s involved in such a tragedy, or any tragic event,” Eva Hill said.
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