Mom lost her son after he was hit by a drunk driver—then began leaving messages on cars outside bars
Some missions are born out of a place of grief. They might bring a big change nonetheless. A mom who lost her 21-year-old son after he was hit by a drunk driver is on one such mission as well. The son, Bobby Dewbre, was out with his friends to celebrate his 21st birthday back in March 2023. He was just trying to cross the road to get a sober ride back home when he was hit by a drunk driver, per PEOPLE. So his mom, Beth McBride, took an initiative to change things.
The Montana family was shaken because of the incident as they tried to process the young man's loss. It was especially hard for the mom who couldn't get out of her house for six weeks after the incident. But one day, her daughter, Carli Seymour, was driving to see her early in the morning. She noticed several cars parked outside a bar. Those cars had been left at the bar at night by drivers who decided to catch a sober ride home and Carli felt strongly about it. "I thought about pulling over and writing with my finger on their windshield, 'Thank you for not drinking and driving,'" the woman recounted. Carli called her mom and told her about what she saw and wished that there was a way to thank people for not driving back home drunk. The mom and daughter started thinking of ideas and Carli suggested that they could give people a free coffee for their thoughtfulness to keep themselves and others out of harm's way.
"Since I worked at a coffee shop at the time, I wondered if the owner might be willing to donate coffee cards so we could leave people with a free cup of coffee and a small memorial to my brother," the daughter pointed out. It all started with a coffee cup and soon enough, the mom and daughter founded a non-profit organization called "Montana Bar Fairies" to encourage people to get a sober ride back home. They also decided to support families who lost loved ones in drunk driving incidents and pushed for stronger (Driving Under the Influence) DUI Laws. It became their goal to leave 20 $5 coffee cards for people who chose not to drink and drive
Each card also carried a photo and story of a local person who died because of a drunk driving incident. "We’ve had employees tell us thanks for the card, but they weren’t out last night. However, they will keep it to pay forward to a friend or bar patron. I love that!" the mom went on. The organization has now spread to Missouri and Washington as well. "It not only encourages safer choices but also keeps the memories of victims, like Bobby, alive. Bar Fairies feels like proof that even small, simple gestures can make a real impact!" Carli added. Montana was the state with the highest DUI-related incidents in January 2025, per Forbes.
@montanabarfairies Volunteers Shannon & Brittainy found a ton of cars in Kalispell and were able to leave all 20 gift cards on vehicles left overnight at the bar!! The best girls ever 🥰 @Brittainy Howk758 #montanabarfaires #bobbyslaw #dontdrinkanddrive #drunkdrivingawareness #montanastatelegislature #montana ♬ original sound - SpongeBob background music
In a video from the organization's TikTok page, @montanabarfairies, they shared a clip of volunteers leaving the coffee cards on windshields of cars. The organization also managed to get Bobby’s Law (HB 267) passed in the state with constant efforts, per another video. The law would make it easier for victims' families to get justice in case of a drunk driving incident. "For context, my brother Bobby was a pedestrian killed by a .20BAC driver. But because of the way the law was written, they were unable to charge him with anything but misdemeanors. This law establishes the crime of aggravated vehicular homicide while under the influence, which many states already have." It would apply to anyone driving at 0.16 percent or higher.
@montanabarfairies We did it!!! Like, all of us!! Thank you for all the love & support & everyone who sacrificed their time and effort to be there, in person or online, contacted their representatives or shared any of these videos on your social media!!! This is a huge step as Montana has been historically hesitant to update or strengthen our existing DUI laws. It wouldn’t have been possible without you. Bobby’s Law (HB 267) will make it easier for victim’s families to achieve justice in the case of a fatal DUI accident. For context, my brother Bobby was a pedestrian killed by a .20BAC driver, but because of the way the law was written, they were unable to charge him with anything but misdemeanors. This law establishes the crime of aggravated vehicular homicide while under the influence, which many states already have. It would only apply to drivers who are in the aggravated state (0.16% or higher) and kill someone while driving. It establishes a mandatory minimum of three years. Learn more at montanabarfairies.org/bobbys-law #montanabarfaires #bobbyslaw #drunkdrivingawareness #montanastatelegislature #montana #dontdrinkanddrive #montanatravel #fyp ♬ hospital beach - Cottonwood Firing Squad
You can follow Montana Bar Fairies (@montanabarfairies) on TikTok for more updates.