Family honors Brooklyn native killed by drunk driver during MADD event at FerryHawks game

 Ben Feliciano was a Bishop Ford alum

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) collaborated with the Staten Island FerryHawks of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball to host Move With MADD at SIUH Community Park Sept. 7.

During the event, a family gathered and honored Ben Feliciano, a Brooklyn native and Saint Agnes and Bishop Ford alum, who was 22 years old when a drunk driver slammed his vehicle into the back of his car on the Gowanus Expressway in 1995. 

His sister Melissa Wylie said the day held special significance and raised awareness and funds to end impaired drunk and drugged driving.

“I invited a classmate from elementary school,” she said. “It was more than just a sporting event; the reunion was tinged with a bittersweet undertone. My friend’s daughter had recently faced an ordeal that no family should ever have to endure—she was nearly killed by a driver under the influence of both alcohol and drugs. Our meeting was both an affirmation of resilience and a sobering reminder of the work that remains unfinished.”

Ben Felciano

Move with MADD events include a wide range of outdoor activities such as 5k walks, 5k competitive races, fun runs, cycling races, fishing tournaments, golf tournaments, and more. 

“With impaired driving fatalities up 33% nationwide since 2019, funds raised through Move With MADD events around the country are more critical than ever,” its website states. “Participants will share personal stories of loss, survival, and resilience—stories that underscore the toll of impaired driving and the urgency to act now.”

Proceeds from the event went directly to support MADD and its ongoing campaigns, educational outreach, and victim services.

“It is a story echoed far too often across communities everywhere,” said Wylie. “The devastation wrought by drunk and drugged driving is relentless, refusing to discriminate by age, background, or circumstance. One moment of recklessness can alter the trajectory of countless lives, leaving behind a trail of grief, anger, and unresolved questions.

“As my friend spoke, her words carried the weight of countless parents and families who have faced similar tragedies. Her daughter survived, but the ordeal reconfirmed a chilling reality: our battle against impaired driving is far from over.”