OAKVILLE, Ontario, Dec. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A new MADD Canada roadside memorial sign will be unveiled today in St. Catharines in honour of 22-year-old Cole Robert David Hodge, who was tragically killed in an impaired driving crash on December 18, 2023. The unveiling ceremony will be held at the intersection of Bunting Road and Eastchester, close to the crash site where Cole was killed.
Just two days after graduating from college, Cole had been celebrating the start of the holiday season with friends and coworkers at a local Boston Pizza. On his way home, he was a passenger in the back seat of his co-worker’s vehicle. The car came down a street, and when the road ended, it jumped the curb and slammed into a tree. Cole died at the scene. The driver’s blood alcohol concentration was later found to be twice the legal limit, and crash data revealed the vehicle was travelling 164 km/h in the moments before the crash. Cole’s life, full of promise and a future he was eager to begin, was taken far too soon. The grief of his loss continues to be deeply felt by his family, friends, and all who knew him.
“Cole’s death was entirely preventable, just like the hundreds of Canadians who are killed and the thousands injured every year,” said Tanya Hansen Pratt, National President of MADD Canada. “The grief Cole’s family carries is a lifelong burden that no parent should ever have to bear. This memorial sign represents the bright life lost and the urgent need to stop impaired driving. Every single one of us plays a role in preventing tragedies like this.”
“We were really close, and all got along — we were a party,” said Cole’s mom, Aletha Romagnoli. “It feels like the party is over now. Nothing will ever be the same because the glue that held us together is missing. Every day we feel the empty space where Cole should be, and the joy we once shared as a family doesn’t shine anymore without him.”
Family, friends and special guests will be attending the unveiling event today, including Cole’s mother, Aletha Romagnoli; Cole’s father, John Hodge; MADD Canada Chief Operating Officer, Dawn Regan; Mayor of St. Catharines, Mat Siscoe; Community Assistant representing Jennie Stevens, Member of the Provincial Parliament for St. Catharines, Ms. Taylor Jones; and Police Chief for Niagara Regional Police Service, Bill Fordy.
Roadside memorial signs are a powerful way to honour victims and to remind motorists about the tragic and lasting consequences of impaired driving. MADD Canada thanks Cole’s family, mom Aletha, and dad John, for their courage, and the City of St. Catharines for its support in establishing the roadside memorial sign.
You can help prevent impaired driving this holiday season by joining MADD Canada’s Project Red Ribbon campaign! Get your red ribbons and/or car decals, and tie them or display them on your vehicles, key chains, and personal belongings, and share your commitment on social media using the hashtag #ProjectRedRibbon. Your visible pledge supports sober driving and honours all victims and survivors of impaired driving. For more information on Project Red Ribbon, click here.
About MADD Canada
MADD Canada (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) is a national, charitable organization that is committed to stopping impaired driving and supporting the victims of this violent crime. With volunteer-driven groups in close to 100 communities across Canada, MADD Canada aims to offer support services to victims, heighten awareness of the dangers of impaired driving and save lives and prevent injuries on our roads. For more information, visit www.madd.ca.
For more information, contact:
Dawn Regan, MADD Canada Chief Operating Officer, 905-330-7565 or dregan@madd.ca
