Today is the anniversary of Danny’s passing in 1998. At just 16 months, his life was cut short when a Playskool Travel-Lite portable crib collapsed, trapping his neck in the “V” of its folded rails. Amidst their grief, Danny’s parents, Linda and Boaz, found that Danny was the fifth victim of this flawed crib despite its recall five years prior. Realizing the systemic flaws in product safety, they founded KID. Linda and Boaz’s hope transformed the entire landscape of children’s products, for a safer future for the next generation. For the past twenty-six years, KID continues to advocate for better regulations to prevent manufacturers from putting unsafe products on the market, ensuring transparency and accountability around product safety, and by providing education to caregivers.
Each day at KID, Danny’s legacy lives on. On this day especially we are reminded of the tragedy of child deaths that no parent should go through. Since Danny’s death, KID has worked closely with parents and grandparents of children who have been injured, or in the worst cases, died, from unsafe products. Most recently, we have worked with parent advocates like Trista Hamsmith and Ashley Haugen, parents like Linda and Boaz, who were moved to make change. With Trista, we helped pass Reese’s Law, which now mandates child-resistant closures on products that use button and coin cell batteries and more stringent warning labels on all packaging. Ashley has been a champion to ban deadly water beads. Due to her advocacy, a bipartisan bill was recently introduced in the Senate, and a similar bill was in the House last year. We think of Danny and his family all along the way as we work with other families to enact change.
As we reflect on everything that Danny’ legacy has brough forth, we are committing ourselves to continue this life-saving work. Together, we can keep Danny’s memory alive by safeguarding the well-being of children everywhere, so that no parent feels the anguish of a lost child. Please consider making a donation to KID today in Danny’s memory.
