YORKTOWN, Va. (WAVY) — The mother of a Yorktown teen killed in a tragic crash is advocating for safer driving.
Tammy Guido McGee said it’s difficult emotionally to share the story of her son, Conner — also known as “Gweedo” — over and over, but she does it in hopes of saving someone’s life.
Virginia State Police said that, so far this year, 126 people have died in crashes on Virginia roads.
That’s one of the many reasons Conner’s mom is working to reach young drivers about the dangers behind destructive driving decisions, in addition to the fact that she doesn’t want other parents to end up like her.
Her son Conner was just 16 years old when he left Tabb High School on Oct. 26, 2019 and got in the car with two friends following the homecoming dance.
“It was his mission to make everyone smile,” she said, “so whether he was on the soccer field or in the cafeteria, it was always about laughing and joking and making everybody around him smile and be happy.”
They were heading east on Yorktown Road when they crashed. State Police cited excessive speed, lack of experience, and unfamiliarity with the area as causes of the crash. All three boys died at the scene.
She said when they were taking pictures before the dance, she never knew they’d be the last photos she had of him.
“As he turned to leave, the last thing I did was this, it was a little thing that he and I always did,” she said, “meaning ‘I got you, You got me,’ and I never knew that would be the last time I’d ever see my son.”
Since the crash, Guido McGee has made it her mission to advocate for teen safe driving education in Virginia and across the country. She has also advocated for two bills in Conner’s memory.
This April during National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, she hopes to share Conner’s story to reach young teens.
“I tell these kids when I speak to them, I do it because I care about you,” she said. “I don’t even know you, but I care about you because I don’t want your mother to be me. I don’t want your life to come to an end.
“And what I need you to learn is how simple an action can take your life and simple as just hopping in a vehicle, driving down the road and thinking that you’re going to make your destination and you don’t.”
In 2022, she also developed a website to give teenagers an anonymous voice called ‘If you see something, say something.‘ She said reckless driving, driving without a license, drugs, bullying or anything else can be reported without the fear of being a “snitch.”
They work with local authorities to make sure they’re aware of the tip.
“It’s about helping others,” she said. “It’s about making sure that teenagers know before they hop in a vehicle with someone to find out who they are. Do they have a driver’s license? Do they brag on social media about driving fast or not caring? As a passenger, you have the ability to speak up and say, ‘It makes me uncomfortable when you text and drive. It makes me uncomfortable, You’re driving too fast.'”
If you’d like to learn more about Conner’s Foundation and the events they host each year, click here.