“Losing Derrick was really a huge loss to our family,” said Karen Burkhalter.
Karen Burkhalter says it was April 27, 2015 when her husband Derrick was hit on the side of the road while driving a street sweeper.
He died a week later.
"I never want another family to go through it.” said Karen Burkhalter
Derrick was a highway maintenance worker for Calumet County.
Karen is sharing his story to try to make workzones safer for workers like her husband.
"They deserve to make it home, just we like deserve to make it home,” said Burkhalter.
Karen is now part of a group with a goal of supporting people impacted by work-related deaths.
She and the group are going to Washington D.C. to share her husband's story with lawmakers.
"When bills come forth and when they are at hearings, they can see our families and see how they've been forever affected,” said Burkhalter.
While she's at home, she won't stop fighting either.
"I’ll remind people every year to slow down, pull over and be attentive if it means no family has to go through this again,” said Burkhalter.
