In December of 2002, Sherry Chapman's 19-year-old son Ryan was killed when the car in which he was riding as a passenger crashed in northeastern Connecticut. Since Ryan's death, Sherry has become a tireless advocate for teen driving safety.
Sherry is co-founder and the former president and board member of Mourning Parents Act, Inc., also known as !MPACT. The mission of !MPACT is to eliminate tragedies caused by inexperienced drivers through awareness, education and legislation.
Sherry also founded Ryan's Memorial Fund, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization committed to serving the needs of the community in tribute to the life of Ryan.
Sherry serves as an advisory board member of a number organizations that promote safe teen driving and health and safety generally. For a current list of Sherry's affiliations, click here.
Sherry's multiple-award-winning memoir, How Much Big Is the Sky: A Memoir of a Mother's Love and Unfathomable Loss, is available anywhere you like to buy your books and can be purchased through this link.
Literary Awards and Honors Include:
Gold medal winner, non-fiction, 2021 Kindle Book Awards
Gold medal winner, adult non-fiction, 2020 Wishing Shelf Book Awards
Winner, Outstanding Memoir category, 2020 IAN Book of the Year Awards
Winner, Memoir, 2020 NABE Pinnacle Book Achievement Award
Winner, Grief, 2020 National Indie Excellence Award
Winner, silver medal, non-fiction – Grief/Hardship, 2020 Readers' Favorite
Winner, second place, non-fiction, 2020 IAN Book of the Year Awards
Honoree, 2020, B.R.A.G. Medallion
Gold medal winner, non-fiction, 2021 Kindle Book Awards
Gold medal winner, adult non-fiction, 2020 Wishing Shelf Book Awards
Winner, Outstanding Memoir category, 2020 IAN Book of the Year Awards
Winner, Memoir, 2020 NABE Pinnacle Book Achievement Award
Winner, Grief, 2020 National Indie Excellence Award
Winner, silver medal, non-fiction – Grief/Hardship, 2020 Readers' Favorite
Winner, second place, non-fiction, 2020 IAN Book of the Year Awards
Honoree, 2020, B.R.A.G. Medallion
In the News
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The Hartford Courant
Coventry author wins gold for her memoir May 20, 2021 The CT (Connecticut) Mirror As teen driver fatalities rise, parents and others must take notice Op-ed / October 19, 2020 The Hartford Courant Grieving Mother Pens Book About Her Lost Son December 19, 2019 The Hartford Courant A Bittersweet Milestone For Parents August 2, 2018 The Hartford Courant -- February 2016 1 Stop Genealogy Solves Mysteries of Lineage Click here to read the article. |
The Chronicle
Chapman to leave cemetery board Oversaw massive changes at Coventry's cemeteries December 24, 2014 Sherry Chapman Designated a 2014 Highway Safety Hero by Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety Sherry Chapman Presented with DAR's Prestigious Community Service Award USA Today -- March 15, 2012 Making Teen Driving Safer Parents turn loss after crash into purpose Coventry Conversations -- March 1, 2012 View video of interview with Sherry Chapman (Type Sherry Chapman in the Search Window) To see more local and national news coverage, click here |
Copyright © 2007-2023 Sherry Chapman
