CLARK, NJ — The Remembering Michael T. Sot HERO Walk will be on Saturday, June 18, at Arthur L. Johnson High School, 365 Westfield Ave. in Clark. Registration begins at 10 a.m. and a “Remembering Michael” ceremony will take place at 10:45 a.m., just before the start of the walk. All proceeds from the event support the John R. Elliott HERO Campaign for Designated Drivers and its mission to prevent drunk and impaired driving by promoting designated driving.
The Sot family honors Michael Sot’s memory and his commitment to designated driving by working with the HERO Campaign to ensure other families don’t experience their pain and loss. The HERO Campaign was established by the family of Navy Ensign John R. Elliott of Egg Harbor Township, who was killed in a July 2000 collision with a drunk driver two months after graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy. Since its inception in 2000, the HERO Campaign has grown into a major movement to prevent impaired driving that has received national recognition and awards. It has also helped to reduce alcohol-related fatalities and incidents, including a 35-percent reduction in DUI fatalities in New Jersey and other states over the past decade.
The Remembering Michael T. Sot HERO Walk is dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of safe and sober designated drivers and to celebrate the life of Michael Sot. Sot was a sophomore at The College of New Jersey when his life was tragically taken by a drunk driver, while he was serving as the designated driver for his Phi Kappa Psi fraternity brothers in December 2018. Sot was a math major preparing to fulfill his goal of becoming an actuary. A native of Clark, Sot was a stand-out baseball player and member of the National Honor Society in high school. He was regarded as someone who classmates, family and friends could always depend on to do the right thing. Most importantly, Sot was a loving son, brother and grandson.
In addition to the walk on Saturday, June 18, supporters can take the HERO Pledge to be and use designated drivers.
In Sot’s memory, the public is encouraged to visit https://p2p.onecause.com/sotherowalk22 to register to participate as an individual, start/join a team or to make a donation to a walk participant or team to help end drunk driving. Sponsorship opportunities are available as well.
For more information, visit herocampaign.org or call 609-626-3880.