Merritt Levitan
Merritt was the oldest of the three Levitan children. She was the “adventure girl, the fearless leader of [the] family.” A talented athlete, Merritt loved skiing and tennis and in her senior year of high school she took up biking.
Photo courtesy of the Levitan family.
Out of all the people I have spoken to about distracted driving, my conversation with Anna Levitan hits closest to home. Anna is the mother of three children including one named Merritt Levitan. Merritt was killed by a distracted driver in 2013 while riding her bike across the country with a group of other high school students through a summer camp called Overland Summers. Merritt is a big reason why #EyesUpRide exists.
I spoke to Anna about Merritt back in early May and am writing about our conversation now after recently completing the Eyes Up Ride. Life was a bit different back in May: I was still dealing with a confusing knee injury and the uncertainty of whether or not I would be able to continue riding. I was living at home in Connecticut for the time being and had yet to spend two months working for Overland to help with training and summer operations before getting back on my bike.
Part of those two months involved three weeks supporting the Overland American Challenge cross-country bike groups as they made their way to the finish line in Santa Monica. This portion was never part of the plan. On the morning of July 16th I learned of a freak accident in one of those bike groups where a student was killed by a car traveling in the same direction. Three days after the accident, I was called to support the remaining three bike groups. I am not sure if I would have had the inspiration and motivation to continue the ride if it weren’t for this special powerful experience being around 30 incredible students. I feel even more gravity in the Eyes Up mission since speaking to Anna and what happened this summer.
Merritt was the oldest of the three Levitan children. She was the “adventure girl, the fearless leader of [the] family.” A talented athlete, Merritt loved skiing and tennis and in her senior year of high school she took up biking. Before she headed to Colgate University in the fall of 2013, Merritt wanted to ride across the country on a bicycle because of her adventurous spirit and desire for a challenge. The Overland American Challenge bike trip promised exactly that.
July 3, 2013 was almost exactly three weeks after Merritt graduated from high school and was the day after she and her group crossed the Mississippi River into Arkansas. That afternoon, Merritt and her group were struck from behind by a driver who took their eyes off the road for four seconds to send a text. That choice resulted in Merritt’s death the following day in a Memphis hospital and several serious injuries to other members of the group.
In the first few days after the crash, the Levitan’s “didn’t know why” or how this could have happened with all the group had in place to minimize risk: bike flags, bright colors, and the open, low-traffic roads of Arkansas. Police reports released in the weeks after the crash revealed the driver had been texting just before hitting Merritt’s group. Merritt’s death was 100% preventable.
Many families who endure tragedy like the Levitan’s respond with anger, frustration, and outward blame. It’s easy to understand why a family would express all of those things, especially after an avoidable death. Anna and her husband, Rich, did just the opposite. Their entire belief system is built around love, something that Merritt fully embodied.
Dealing with the loss of a child, Anna said, “is so incredibly devastating” and your life immediately reverts to survival mode - food, water, shelter, and then “re-learning how to survive in this different universe.” It is the spirit and energy of Merritt that has helped her family these past 9 years. According to Anna, Merritt was incredibly empathetic and “a bit of a bleeding heart, she hated when people were sad or down.” After getting to know Merritt’s whole family, it’s clear that every one of the Levitan’s are filled with love and genuine care for others. You will know if you ever get the chance to speak to any of them, I hope you do.
Members of Merritt’s family and peers at Milton Academy in Massachusetts took large steps to fight distracted driving just a few months after Merritt’s death by founding the nonprofit TextLess Live More.
Photo courtesy of the Levitan family.
I have wondered how on earth one begins to attempt to move on from something like this. I asked Anna how her family was able to respond positively to this situation that could have fully unraveled their lives: “You are left with a choice to retreat from your life or not, to Live More. That’s where Merritt’s inspiration propels us forward.” She added, “There are different energies in life and the most powerful is light and love. Darkness, hate, and anger is a dead end street.” It’s through these simple, though difficult, choices that the Levitan’s were able to keep their heads up.
Another part of this process, Anna explained, is “you have to be receptive to unexpected blessings.” The Levitan’s received the blessing of a strong, enduring relationship with the founders of Overland Summers, Tom and Liz Costley. They remain great friends to this day in large part because of their choice to respond with love and light rather than dark, anger, and hate. It is because of the Costley-Levitan relationship that I and thousands of others in the Overland community know about Merritt and TextLess Live More.
Moving forward also involves continued conversations about the tragedy and the associated lessons. “Teach people, in a kind way, why it’s important not to drive distracted. Be an advocate for it.” Anna understands that this isn’t easy, especially with the magnitude of the distracted driving problem. “It is an uphill battle. It has to become taboo, unfashionable, to drive distracted.” We have a long way to go, but we are certainly making progress. Any action we take to make even one person think twice about distracted driving is a step in the right direction.
Members of Merritt’s family and peers at Milton Academy in Massachusetts took large steps to fight distracted driving just a few months after Merritt’s death by founding the nonprofit TextLess Live More. They felt the need to “address the correlation between looking down and sucked into our phones and being present, especially behind the wheel. [The] solution is re-learning how to use technology, when to use technology.” The goal is “to address distracted driving and distracted living.”
Nine years into its mission, TextLess Live More is committed to promoting digital wellness and ending distracted driving. One of the key elements of TextLess Live More’s mission is to work with young people involved in SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) chapters across the country to drive distraction free and Live More. TextLess Live More has an engagement board of SADD leaders to liaise with the TextLess Live More leadership and facilitate an ever evolving set of goals and initiatives.
Our population stands to gain a lot if we all adopt elements from “Merritt’s Way.” Anna said “Merritt loved to live in real time” and be present with whatever she was doing. Merritt’s Way, TextLess Live More, and #EyesUpRide all share the common thread that a richer, more fulfilled life starts with embracing what’s directly in front of us rather than running away from it.
Some final words from Anna regarding distracted driving: “Don't do it. Nothing is so important. People don't realize how dangerous it is or can be [to drive distracted] because it seems so innocuous. Distraction is no different than being completely intoxicated from a substance. [People need to understand] the power they hold when they get behind the wheel, and don’t take driving for granted.”
With every one of these conversations, I attempt to imagine what it’s like to be in that person’s shoes. I don’t think I can get anywhere close, which is humbling and makes me feel even more passionately about this cause and trying to prevent others from experiencing all that these people like Anna and her family have. One theme that runs through all of the people I have spoken to is their ability to keep moving forward. It puts into perspective everyday “challenges” that might threaten to slow us down or lower our motivation or drive. Cherish every moment.
Thank you for reading, and a huge thank you to Anna and the entire Levitan Family for the joy and good you bring to the world. I am grateful to know you.
I am raising money to fight distracted driving. To help me reach my fundraising goal of $50,000 for TextLess Live More by the end of 2022, visit this link. Thank you for your support!
-Ben Grannis
#EyesUpRide
