DENVER — A Denver mother is dedicating herself to keeping children safe after her four-year-old daughter was tragically killed while crossing the street.
Every year, Gina Gancheva and her family attend the annual Bike Rodeo at Lincoln Elementary, where kids bring their bikes to participate in fun obstacles and learn about safety. Normally, Gina’s four-year-old daughter, Gracie, would be enjoying the event with the other children.
"After everything that happened with Gracie, our awareness is just that much more amplified. We don't want this happening to any other child, any other family," Gancheva said.
During a family trip to Boston in March, Gracie was hit by a pickup truck while crossing the street.
"It’s been 52 days. I count every day… The worst moment of my entire life. It happened so quickly," said Gancheva.
Channeling her grief into action, this year, Gancheva set up a stand at the Bike Rodeo dedicated to promoting pedestrian safety.
She brought homemade signs advertising lemonade and ice cream for the kids, along with green ribbons for pedestrian safety and purple ribbons in memory of Gracie. At the stand, she displayed a poster that said "Watch for Us," which people could sign as a commitment to be vigilant while driving. The poster will later hang outside the school.
"Pledge to this and then re-pledge year after year. I will commit, I will watch out, I will watch for kids, I will make sure our streets are safe." Gancheva also handed out stickers with the same message for people to place on their cars.
Still grappling with her loss, Gancheva finds it hard to return to the door Gracie would exit from when she picked her up from school.
"She would peek her head around the corner and smile at me with her huge, beautiful smile. She'd grab my hand and say, 'I love you, Mama.' That sweetness is so hard to lose. You just want to experience that over and over again, and you know you're never going to," she said.
Gancheva said Lincoln Elementary is building a new playground, part of which will be dedicated to Gracie. They also plan to install a raised crosswalk on Pearl Street, a busy area, to ensure safe crossings for children and parents. This crosswalk is also set to be dedicated to Gracie as well.
While she does the work raising awareness, Gancheva thinks about Gracie, with her big smile, standing next to her.
"That's what I have to imagine. Because I think that's the only thing that kind of gets me through," said Gancheva.
Gancheva said the money raised from their GoFundMe will be used to form a foundation or memorial program in Gracie’s name, bringing smiles like Gracie’s to other children in her memory.
SUGGESTED VIDEOS: Latest from 9NEWS