Honoring the life of Sarah Debbnik Langencamp

As I pedaled down Wisconsin Avenue yesterday, I turned to my left and chimed up a conversation with a couple riding a tandem bike. “What brought you here today?” I asked. 

The gentleman wearing an outrageously fabulous pink fringe jacket shared he was an active cyclist. And the gal shared that she worked at the US State Department and while didn’t know her well, many of her peers called Sarah Debbnik Langencamp a beloved colleague. 

Yesterday’s conversation was during “Ride for Your Life” remembering the life of Sarah Debbink Langenkamp, who is 2022 was killed by a motorist, minutes away from where I grew up, and all the individuals who’ve been killed on the road for World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims. 

I like to focus on the joys of biking, but the utter reality is that streets are dangerous. In 2023, 40,901 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes (note- that number is not exclusively deaths of cyclists + pedestrians, but exceptionally sobering). 

Out of the Debbnik and Langencamp family’s grief came advocacy and community building to advocate for a world where Sarah’s death and that of so many pedestrians and cyclists no longer is a reality. 

You can read more about Sarah’s life and work to pass legislation to create safer streets and communities. The act– Sarah Debbink Langenkamp Active Safety Transportation Act (Bill in the house–H.R. 2011/Bill in the senate– S. 944), would give states across the nation more flexibility in the use of federal highway funds in the building of safe infrastructure for vulnerable road users, particularly those walking and bicycling. During the rally following the bike ride, I learned that the bill has bipartisan and bicameral (both house & senate support) and you can learn more in a recent piece in Bethesda Magazine and in a press release by Congressman Jamie Raskin.

In hearing from Sarah’s father, retired Vice Admiral Dirk Debbink, he emphasized that one of the best ways to move this piece of legislation forward is to call quarterly (he emphasized call over email) your representatives in Congress to express your support for this legislation and why it matters to you. 

As a DC Resident, I don’t have a congressperson or senator to call, but I hope you’ll join me in pushing this vital legislation forward. You can get language to make your call from this action alert and you can find out who your Congress person and Senators are here.

Thank you for honoring Sarah’s life and building safer streets and communities. 

Wheels up, 

Ellen