ST. LOUIS – She lost her sister when a driver struck and killed her, then left the scene.
Now, a St. Louis woman wants to help other families who lost loved ones in hit-and-runs.
Tiffanie Stanfield recently launched an organization called Fighting Hit and Run Driving (Fighting H.A.R.D.), in honor of her sister, Jameca Stanfield. She died in April 2016, when a driver hit her on North Grand, then left the scene.
“It was more like getting the wind blown out of your sails,” Stanfield said. “Losing my sister, that was my only sister. That was a part of me.”
She remembers how the world felt upside down in the weeks and months after Jameca’s death.
“As I was investigating my sister’s case, I felt like we were lost in the shuffle. I didn’t know where to start. What direction to go in. Who to call, who to contact. Even something as simple as planning her funeral arrangements,” Stanfield remembers.
That experience became the groundwork for Stanfield’s new non-profit, Fighting H.A.R.D. Tiffanie says the organization has four key pillars:
- To support families impacted by hit and run fatalities, offering guidance through the funeral planning and criminal investigations
- Raise awareness about the issues of hit and runs, and educate people about why drivers should remain on the scene of a crash
- Push for change, advocate for tougher penalties for drivers convicted of hit and runs
- Advocate for families and build revenue for Fightin H.A.R.D.’s mission
According to records provided by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, there have been 119 pedestrians struck in hit-and-run accidents in 2017, and seven of those resulted in a death.
This April, Tiffanie is planning a gala in honor of Jameca on the anniversary of her death. She wants other families to contact her, so they can attend and celebrate their loved one’s lives, too.
“I want families to reach out to me, I want them to reach out to us,” she said. “And letting them know, we support you. We want to honor your family member.”
“My sister, she’s looking down -- and she’s saying I knew you wouldn’t stop. But I’m going to tell you, I think my sister would be more proud that we are impacting others, because that’s who she was.”
“She was generous. She always looked out for others.”
On Friday, the St. Louis Board of Alderman recognized Stanfield and her family as a way to honor Jameca's life and Tiffanie's efforts through Fighting H.A.R.D.
