Dick Dragoon

DICK DRAGOON attended MLC from 1968 to 1970. He was tragically struck and killed by a hit-and-run drunk driver with a suspended license on July 15, 1973, just a few days after his 15th birthday.

There is a Jewish tradition of saying of the deceased, “May their memory be a blessing.” Dick left an indelible and lasting blessing—a mother bound and determined to fight for greater bicycle safety and more effective treatment of intoxicated drivers. She made progress on both and now we have bike lanes and paths, better acceptance of helmets, and much more effective drunk driving laws and enforcement. Rates of drunk driving are less than a third of what they were in 1973.

Dick's brother Ken said he was told that Dick’s friends became scrupulous about having a “designated driver” for their alcohol-involved events. Dick’s memory is literally a blessing.

Ken created a memorial website in 2022 and welcomes reminiscences of Dick from old classmates.