After losing her son to a drunk driver, Beth McBride found a way to turn her grief into a message that could save someone else’s life.
On weekends, McBride and her daughter, Carli Seymour, visit bars throughout Montana’s Flathead Valley, looking for cars left behind overnight. When they find one, they leave a handwritten message along with a $5 coffee gift card to thank the driver for making a safer choice.
The effort began after McBride’s son, Bobby Dewbre, was killed in March 2023. He was just 21 years old and celebrating his birthday with friends when he was struck by a repeat drunk driver while crossing the street to meet a sober ride home.
His death changed the family forever. Rather than allowing his story to become another statistic, his mother decided to use it to remind others of the consequences of drinking and driving.
Each note includes Bobby’s photograph and explains what happened to him. The small gesture is intended to encourage people who leave their vehicles behind instead of getting behind the wheel after drinking.
For Seymour, the idea came after she noticed cars sitting outside a bar on a cold morning, their windows covered in frost. She realized the vehicles had likely been left there overnight and wanted to find a way to recognize the people who had made that decision.
At the time, she was working at a local coffee shop. The idea of offering a small coffee gift card seemed like a simple way to express appreciation without making the message feel like a lecture.
The family’s efforts also reflect a larger problem in Montana, where drinking and driving has long been a concern, particularly in rural communities where people may travel long distances.
State health figures show that excessive alcohol consumption remains a significant issue. Alcohol-related deaths have also increased substantially over the years, highlighting the devastating effects that drinking can have on individuals, families and entire communities.
For Seymour, the loss is deeply personal. She has spoken about how difficult it is to imagine the adulthood her brother never got to experience and how his absence continues to affect the family.
The initiative, known as the Fairies, has since grown beyond the original effort. McBride reported that the Flathead Valley group had attracted dozens of volunteers, with hundreds of people signing up to participate. Similar efforts have also emerged in communities across the country.
The family says some recipients have reached out to explain how the notes affected them. Others have reportedly promised to stop drinking and driving after reading Bobby’s story.
In 2025, Montana lawmakers also passed House Bill 267, known as Bobby’s Law, which strengthens penalties for impaired-driving offenses that result in a person’s death.
For McBride and Seymour, the goal is straightforward: encourage safer decisions before another family experiences the same kind of loss.
They know a coffee card cannot undo what happened to Bobby. But if a few words and a small act of kindness persuade someone to leave a car parked for the night, they believe the effort is worthwhile.
Their message is that choosing not to drive after drinking matters. Sometimes, a decision that takes only a few seconds can make the difference between getting home safely and leaving loved ones with a lifetime of grief.
