Informed Families™ Distributes Powerful Video About Respected War Veteran Catastrophically Injured by Drunk/High Driver in Front of His Home

MIAMI, May 15, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- As a compelling tool to demonstrate the devastating effects of being drunk and/or high on drugs, Informed Families is distributing a riveting video about a brave war veteran who, uninjured after nine deployments to hostile areas such as Iraq and Afghanistan, is a triple amputee (both legs and partial hand) due to a drunk and high driver.

The video, distributed in schools, community groups, e-blasts, social media and more, is one entity of Informed Families' statewide initiative and springtime campaign, Safe Homes Smart Parties®. The initiative/campaign is designed to educate parents about the importance of setting boundaries and monitoring behavior to prevent underage drinking and youth drug use during prom, graduation and summertime festivities.

Available in both a long version (approximately five minutes) at http://youtu.be/6YGXC0wNi-w, and a short version (approximately two minutes) at http://youtu.be/lsLE4s2yGdA, the video tells the story of Sergeant Major of the Army Jeremy Bruns, who was catastrophically injured by a drunk and high driver in front of his North Carolina home on Nov. 10, 2012 at 9:30 a.m. Army Sgt. Maj. Bruns was loading his truck when the driver struck him and didn't stop, pinning him at the knees between two vehicles. The driver had a blood alcohol level of .1 and tested positive for cocaine. Today, Army Sgt. Maj. Bruns' life, and his family's life, have been changed forever. The video was filmed at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md.

"The video demonstrates how one completely preventable accident changed a revered 'super man's' life forever," said Informed Families/The Florida Family Partnership President & CEO Peggy Sapp. "With this powerful story and Safe Homes Safe Parties® other tools, we hope to spread the important message that by taking simple preventative steps, parents can save themselves, their children, and many others from disaster."  

In addition to distributing the video, Informed Families is promoting Safe Homes Smart Parties® on its website, www.informedfamilies.org/shsp, as well as in schools across Florida.

Formerly named Safe Homes Safe Parties®, the new campaign name reflects that a "smart" party involves good judgment and good decisions, but still involves fun. Other new features of the campaign, featured on Informed Families' website at www.informedfamilies.org/shsp, are:

• Free toolkits, for educators and parents/caregivers across Florida to use at schools, PTA and community groups.
• Tools for parents (tips for attending and hosting parties, tips for when parents are out of town, and a parent report card tool)
• The Safe Homes Smart Parties pledge: Through May 15, 2014, parents/caregivers who take the pledge will automatically be entered for a chance to win a $100 Publix gift card. They can take the pledge at www.informedfamilies.org/shsp, or sign a pledge at a school participating in the Safe Home Smart Parties program.

Each year, nearly 5,000 individuals under the age of 21 die from binge drinking nationwide. In 2011, there were more than 188,000 visits to the emergency room due to underage drinking in the U.S., according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration – 71,000 of which were individuals between 12 and 17 years old.

Safe Homes Smart Parties® is one of Informed Families' four prevention campaigns, including Family Day (September), Red Ribbon Week (October) and Lock Your Meds® (January–February).

About Informed Families

A non-profit organization founded in 1982, the mission of Informed Families is helping kids grow up safe, healthy and drug-free. Informed Families focuses on educating, involving and empowering parents to work together to set boundaries and monitor their children's behavior to prevent underage drinking, substance abuse and other harmful behaviors. Affiliated with the National Family Partnership, Informed Families is best known for being the Florida Sponsor of the National Red Ribbon Campaign. Informed Families also boasts multiple school and community based prevention programs targeting youth, parents and communities. For more information on Informed Families, please visit informedfamilies.org, or call (305) 856-4886.

Media contact:
Duree Ross, Duree & Company, Inc.
954-723-9350/ Email

SOURCE Informed Families