Mom Honors Daughter Who Died In Boating Tragedy

LINDENHURST, NY - On the 13th anniversary of her daughter's death, one Long Island mother held a beautiful ceremony in her honor — and continues to fight tirelessly for boating safety regulations, so that her precious girl will not have died in vain.

Gina Costa Lieneck, mother of Brianna Lieneck — who was killed when she was only 11 after a boat crashed into the family craft on the Great South Bay in 2005 — recently hosted a dove release ceremony and a conference on boating safety.

Since the devastating loss of her daughter, the Deer Park mother has been working to pass "Brianna's Law," which would require mandatory boating safety classes for mariners of all ages.

According to Lieneck, currently the only ones required to take any type of boating safety class are those born after May 1996.

"Everybody should be educated before getting on the water," she told Patch. "You shouldn't just be able to get a 30', 40', 50' boat and have no idea what the rules and regulations of the waterways are."

She says the law has had success in Albany and now is awaiting Senate approval.

"Brianna's Law" would require a one day course which would teach boaters safety tips such as who would have the right of way on the water, what age groups should be wearing life jackets, etc.

After interviewing several boaters, Lieneck has noticed that while some people may have over 30 or 40 years of experience with driving boats, they still couldn't correctly answer three boating safety questions.

"It will make a big difference if everybody is educated," she said.

In addition to "Brianna's Law," Lieneck is hoping to improve boating conditions by working on getting liability insurance for boaters.

"I think we need to match everything up to driving a motor vehicle," she said. "It's the same thing and it's more dangerous on the waterways; you don't have lanes or red lights and green lights, you can just step on your brakes — so I think it's important to make the laws stricter around our waterways."

Lieneck says she hopes this will help people become more considerate of the lives of others.

"My heart breaks everyday for the past 13 years and there's not a night that goes by that I don't pray for my daughter. It's so frustrating that if the people who killed my daughter hadn't been so careless, she would be alive," she said. "It kills me every day, knowing that she died a horrible death — and all because they wanted to have a good time and they were careless. People need to start being considerate for the lives around them."

However, Lieneck says she hopes to take this negative situation and make something positive out of it.

"If I can save just one life by changing the law that would make me feel good so I put my energy into trying to stay positive," she said.

In addition to speaking about the law at the press conference held at Venetian Shores in Lindenhurst just two days before the anniversary of the crash, a dove release was held in Brianna's memory.

"It just felt so good to have so many people there and have so much support," Lieneck said. "She was such a caring and giving child. I feel good when I talk about her because I want her memory and her legacy to go on."

During the event, she thanked the local politicians for helping her pass "Brianna's Law" including Town of Babylon Supervisor Rich Schaffer, Deputy Town Supervisor Councilman Tony Martinez, Councilman Terence Mcsweeney , Councilman Anthony Mannetta, Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone, Senator Phil Boyle, Senator John Brooks, Assemblyman Andrew Raia, Assemblywoman Kimberly Jean- Peirre and Suffolk County Legislator Tom Donnelly.

In addition, the Islip Fire Department held a water tribute in Brianna's honor.

Related:

• Mom 'Begged God To Take Me' After Boat Crash That Killed Daughter
• Mom: Daughter Killed In Boat Crash Was 'Cheated Out Of Life'

All photos courtesy of Gina Lieneck