Mom to Parents: Talk to Teens About Drinking

Carolyn Hoover of Derwood has a message for parents of teenagers: Don’t give up talking to them about underage drinking.

At a press conference covered by Capital News Service, Hoover said: “I think about it all the time. I used to have three boys. Now I have two. It breaks my heart.”

Hoover’s son John, 20, died in . The driver, who fled the scene immediately after the crash, was caught and . The crash also killed two Magruder High School seniors.

The press conference, at the National Press Club on Tuesday, was sponsored by Mothers Against Drunk Driving to promote PowerTalk 21 day, Saturday, the national day for parents to communicate the dangers of alcohol abuse to their children.

The CNS report says Hoover plans to continue working with MADD, even though she's sitll in grief.

“I hope to spread the message,” she said. “Don’t let this happen to you or your family.”