Kate Gladdin’s mother, Julie Fitzsimons, was tragically killed by a pickup truck while legally crossing a street in Sheridan, Wyoming, in May 2025. Fitzsimons, visiting from Australia, had pressed the walk button and waited for the signal before stepping into the crosswalk, but was struck by David Vincent Johnson, a driver with a history of offenses. Despite efforts to save her, Fitzsimons died from blunt force trauma. Johnson pleaded guilty to misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter and failure to yield, facing up to 60 days in jail, a sentence Gladdin and her family found too lenient given his prior record and the circumstances.

In response, Gladdin has become an advocate for tougher vehicular homicide laws in Wyoming, aiming to give prosecutors more discretion to pursue felony charges in cases involving distracted driving, repeat offenders, or other aggravating factors. She has testified before the state legislature, helping to advance proposed changes to close gaps in current statutes. Gladdin also honors her mother’s and late sister’s legacies through a foundation supporting performing artists and athletes, a college scholarship fund, and community efforts like Sheridan’s first Pedestrian Awareness Walk to raise safety awareness amid rising pedestrian fatalities in Wyoming.