40th Spotlight: Gilman Family
During MADD Hawaii’s 40th Anniversary Year, we will feature an Honoree each month who was recognized at the anniversary event held at Washington Place on Feb. 12, 2024. MADD Hawaii honored those who have made a significant difference in the fight to prevent drunk and drugged driving and in furthering MADD’s mission in Hawaii.
Category: Fundraising
Honorees: Art and Jenna Gilman, TJ Nilsen Legacy Fund
TJ Nilsen was a 22-year-old Chico State University student when he was driving his moped home after work and was rear-ended by a truck driven by a speeding, reckless drunk driver. TJ was thrown from his moped while the driver drove home with the moped lodged under his truck. Chico Police followed a trail of oil, gas, and metal debris that led them straight to the home of the drunk driver.
Two weeks after TJ’s death in March 2022, his grandfather Art Gilman, who lives in California contacted MADD Hawaii out of concern for his daughter, Jenna, who is TJ’s mother and who lives in Honolulu. Art asked MADD Hawaii’s Victim Services unit to assist and support Jenna in the wake of losing her son.
“I was the Victim Services Specialist at that time,” says Theresa Paulette who received the call from Art. “We talked about the shock and grief that his daughter, Jenna, was feeling and I explained that he was probably experiencing it, too, but to a different degree. Grief is a personal and painful journey that takes years to process. Art asked me to call Jenna, which I did.”
Theresa and Jenna met and Jenna shared about her anger and deep grief and details about the horrific crash that killed her only child. The Chico Police Department’s investigation and criminal charges were swift and strong with the case going to trial within the first year. The 24-year-old driver was convicted of Gross Vehicular Manslaughter and sentenced to ten years in prison. This swiftness is unheard of in Hawaii courts. The criminal justice system, which gives defendants every opportunity to appeal, inflicted more pain on the family as the defendant appealed the length of his sentence. The family will continue to be involved with the Court with restitution and parole hearings.
Jenna Gilman at the Memorial on a work day and presenting at the 35th Anniversary of the MADD Victim Memorial
That same year, for the Walk Like MADD in September 2022, Jenna set a very high goal of raising $25,000 and set up a Walk Team in memory of her son – Team TJ Nilsen – and raised $24,000 with help from family and friends. Jenna was intent on making a difference and expressed interest in educating young people about the dangers of driving under the influence. After learning more about MADD’s Underage Drinking Prevention Program, she included her father in this important initiative. As a businessman, Art understood that a non-profit organization like MADD Hawaii needs funding to grow and to continue vital youth education programs to prevent future deaths. At the end of 2022, Art, Jenna, their family and associates collectively made a $70,000 donation to MADD and established the TJ Nilsen Legacy Fund. In 2022, Art and Jenna raised and donated a total of $94,000 to MADD Hawaii.
Art Gilman with Theresa Paulette, Melissa Lau, Governer Green, Carol McNamee and Ron Shimabuko
Their generous contributions are making a difference with educational outreach to our youth and the community about making responsible choices and sharing that impaired driving is 100% preventable. Together we can end drunk driving and save lives.
