Woman turns sister’s death into push for pedestrian safety

Nearly a year after 18-year-old Shannon Rush was struck and killed by an SUV while walking to a bus stop, her sister is turning her grief into a push for safer roads.

Sister station WESH reports that Rush, a student at Forest High School in Florida, was killed the morning of Oct. 27 while walking along Old Blitchton Road in Ocala.

For her sister, Shanta Norton, the loss remains painful. But seeing other children walking to school or the bus stop in the same area prompted her to take action.

“It’s heartbreaking, and nobody should have to suffer this way,” Norton said.

Norton has launched an initiative called Halo Glow, which is designed to make pedestrians more visible to drivers during dark morning hours.

Norton designed wearable safety devices that illuminate or glow in the dark, including bracelets, shoe clips and backpack clips.

She said the devices would be designed to alert drivers to pedestrians without creating a safety hazard for either person.

“It’s like a pulsating device, and the color should illuminate, and it’s safe for the driver as well as the pedestrian,” Norton said.

The devices could be used by students waiting for buses or walking to school, but Norton said she hopes they eventually could be used by anyone traveling outside in low-light conditions.

The Halo Glow initiative is part of Norton’s broader effort to improve pedestrian safety in the area where her sister was killed.

She is also advocating for what she calls “Shannon’s Law,” a proposed effort that would push for sidewalks, adequate street lighting and additional signage along Old Blitchton Road and neighboring streets.

Norton said the effort is driven by the children who continue to walk along the same roads.

“There are still so many other kids still walk that same direction that we never thought about the dangers of just them walking along the edge of the road, or trying to get to school in those types of conditions for years,” she said.

Norton said watching students navigate the area in the dark after her sister’s death made the need for additional safety measures even more apparent.

“My nerves was a wreck. I was all over the place,” Norton said. “So I’m like, ‘This cannot happen to another family.’”

Halo Glow remains in the development phase, and Norton is looking for partners who can help turn the concept into a finished product. She is also seeking donations to support the effort.

While the initiative began in response to what happened to Shannon, Norton said she hopes it eventually reaches communities beyond Ocala.

“If we can prevent other stuff from happening, like, why not try to make it a thing?” Norton said. “It’s not just this community. I would like to make it a nationwide thing, but I just want to help.”

An online fundraiser has been created for anyone interested in donating.