Volunteer Spotlight – Kristine Villatoro- August 2021
Feature photo is of Kristine Villatoro and her daughter Anna Marie Dalton. Photo above is of Kristine recording her story in Shenandoah National Park, where Anna worked before she was killed.
Volunteer Kristine Villatoro, of Front Royal, first reached out to MADD VA after a drug impaired driver killed her daughter, Anna Marie Dalton, in February 2019 in Page County. Since that time, she has made it her mission to share Anna’s story and fight against impaired driving.
Most recently Kristine shared her story for a series of Roll Call videos that were created by MADD, with funding from NHTSA, to be distributed to Law Enforcement across the country.
Kristine’s story was particularly compelling for the Roll Call series because the man who killed her daughter, who was later to be found under the influence of methamphetamine, had been stopped by police 30 minutes before he crossed into Anna’s lane and into her car.
We asked Kristine why she volunteered for MADD. She replied:
“I do not know what I would have done without MADD those first couple of months. Being able to talk to people who understood and knew what I was going through in way helped ease the burden a little for me. Even 2 1/2 years later I still rely on MADD’s help and support by attending their support groups and just talking to the great VA MADD employees.
I made a promise to myself that I would not let Anna’s death be forgotten. That I would tell her story until there is no more deaths from impaired driving. If I reach one person and change their thinking about driving impaired than maybe that is one family I have saved from going through what my family has gone through and continues to go through. Anna was a very bright soul and although she is no longer here with us physically, her legacy will live on through us and her bright light will forever shine.”