PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — On a road that has known the darkness of tragedy, you'll now see a beacon of hope.
It's a reflective sign—cautioning drivers to look out for pedestrians in honor of Ethan Weiser. He's the 15-year-old who died near the intersection of Belleair road and South Haven drive in August while walking to his bus stop.
"We can't undo the fact that it happened, but ideally, we can get to the point where the likelihood of it happening is reduced," said Ethan's uncle Matt Croasmun.
In the time since the accident, Croasmun has been pushing for safety changes on this road.
And he says the reflective sign is a good first step.
"We'd really like to see long-term, [an] illuminated crosswalk, you know? Somewhere where someone could walk up hit a button and it will send flashers going up both ways down Belleair road," he said.
He's proposed those long-term changes to several local commissions and councils and has also asked about possibly moving the bus stop altogether.
"Just understanding that potentially the trauma that those kids on the bus could experience or could feel or the lack of safety that they feel when they come up to that area," he said.
Most recently, he spoke with the School Transportation Safety Committee for Pinellas County and says he feels hopeful about the outcome of that presentation.
And overall—he says the yellow sign is a testament to the power of persistence.
"I think it's important that people understand that if they want to see a change happen or they don't feel that something is being addressed, you've got to talk about it and you've got to talk about it to the right people," he said.
