Victim's family gets help raising awareness about dangers of drunk driving

MIAMI – The family of a man who was killed by a drunk driver is trying to raise awareness about the dangers of drinking before getting behind the wheel.

"We are here, today, to tell you that tragedy can come your way, and DUI is preventable," the victim’s brother-in-law, Nisrine Alghawi, said.  

The victim, Naji El-Kadi, 48, was killed by a drunk driver nearly two years ago.

He died just two days before he and his wife were supposed to formally celebrate their wedding with family.

"It was a nightmare," El-Kadi's wife, Jihan Haidar, said. "The thought of not seeing him -- the wedding that turned to a funeral."

Haidar said her husband was buried in his wedding suit.

In October, the woman who hit El-Kadi with her vehicle was sentenced to more than 10 years in prison.

Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center is partnering with Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the Florida Highway Patrol to keep other families from experiencing such tragedy.

"One of the hardest things we do is to notify a family member that their loved one will never be coming home," Dr. Nicholas Namias said.