{"id":2270,"date":"2024-09-01T22:57:32","date_gmt":"2024-09-01T22:57:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/madd.org\/hawaii\/?p=2270"},"modified":"2024-12-10T00:44:05","modified_gmt":"2024-12-10T00:44:05","slug":"40th-spotlight-gilman-family","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/madd.org\/hawaii\/40th-spotlight-gilman-family\/","title":{"rendered":"40th Spotlight: Gilman Family"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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During MADD Hawaii\u2019s 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.<\/span><\/p>

Category: Fundraising<\/strong>
\"\"Honorees: Art and Jenna Gilman, TJ Nilsen Legacy Fund<\/strong>\u00a0
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.<\/p>

Two weeks after TJ\u2019s 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\u2019s mother and who lives in Honolulu. Art asked MADD Hawaii\u2019s Victim Services unit to assist and support Jenna in the wake of losing her son.<\/p>

\u201cI was the Victim Services Specialist at that time,\u201d says Theresa Paulette who received the call from Art. \u201cWe 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.\u201d<\/p>

Theresa and Jenna met and Jenna shared about her anger and deep grief and details about the horrific crash that killed her only child.\u00a0 The Chico Police Department\u2019s investigation and criminal charges were swift and strong with the case going to trial within the first year.\u00a0 The 24-year-old driver was convicted of Gross Vehicular Manslaughter and sentenced to ten years in prison.\u00a0 This swiftness is unheard of in Hawaii courts.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 The family will continue to be involved with the Court with restitution and parole hearings.\u00a0<\/p>

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\"\"\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0
Jenna Gilman<\/strong> at the Memorial on a work day and presenting at the 35th Anniversary of the MADD Victim Memorial\u00a0<\/em><\/p>

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 –\u00a0 and raised $24,000 with help from family and friends.\u00a0 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\u2019s 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.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 In 2022, Art and Jenna raised and donated a total of $94,000 to MADD Hawaii.<\/p>

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