LEXINGTON/NICHOLASVILLE, Ky. (LEX 18) — After losing her daughter in a fatal accident five years ago, Peggy Roark is continuing her mission to prevent workplace tragedies.
"Only another mother will know how it feels to lose a child. There's no other feeling, said Roark.
Roark's daughter, Whitney Gardner, fell from the back of a Lexington sanitation truck, suffering a fatal head injury.
"There's times you think maybe she's gonna come through the door," Roark said.
The grieving mother believes the tragedy could have been prevented and has dedicated herself to workplace safety advocacy since her daughter's death. Now, she spends her time helping others in similar situations.
"I don't want no mother, no employee, to ever go through this," said Roark.
How? She says policy change is the answer, specifically pushing for requirements that workers wear safety harnesses when riding on the back of sanitation trucks.
Roark has reached out multiple times to State Representative Matt Lockett, and Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton, but she says she hasn't seen any progress.
Although the state representative's office claims they have been investigating this issue for years, changing the rules is not as simple as it seems.
"I'm a person, when one door shuts, I keep pushing. I get down, I get back up. So I'm going to keep going until I can't go," said Roark.
To help share her daughter's story, Roark commissioned an artist to write a special song about Whitney, which she says has reached audiences far beyond Lexington.
"It just melted everybody's heart. Some people said they thought it was sad. But it's a true story, and it happens, and we need to bring awareness, said Roark.
Though she describes the past five years as an uphill battle with more challenges ahead, Roark believes her daughter would support her advocacy efforts.
"She's not just a number, she's got a name, and I know she's saying, 'Wow, my momo's been doing a lot for me,'" said Roark.
