HR0315 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0315 LRB103 32516 MST 62079 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Dionne Brown was 19-years-old when a drunk driver hit her car head on at 80 miles per hour; at the time, she was a sophomore at Lincoln Land Community College with the hopes of becoming a courtroom stenographer; and

WHEREAS, Dionne Brown miraculously survived with injuries, including four pelvis fractures, broken ribs, shattered facial bones, and a severe brain injury; her family was told she would not live, and she drifted in and out of a coma for days after; and

WHEREAS, Defying all odds, Dionne Brown woke and tried communicating with her family; after 13 months of care in the hospital, her family brought her home; and

WHEREAS, For the next two decades, Dionne Brown and her family tried different therapies and treatments to improve her cognitive function; and

WHEREAS, In 2014, the Browns found Kristie Maro, a personal trainer, who began a unique program with Dionne Brown that elicited a good response, and Dionne's strength and flexibility improved as she got older; and

WHEREAS, Dionne Brown lived the fullest life possible and enjoyed many wonderful experiences, including being the Illinois representative for Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) at a national convention, being welcomed as a special guest by Secretary of State Jesse White in his Springfield office, being featured on TV commercials, making public service announcements, and speaking with her sister, Rhonda, in local schools on behalf of MADD; and

WHEREAS, Dionne Brown's story is one of perseverance and hope to those most affected by drunk driving; December 14th of each year is the start of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" initiative; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we declare December 14, 2023 as "Dionne Brown Day" in the State of Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the Brown family as an expression of our esteem and respect.