Mother doing acts of kindness to honor daughter, TTU student killed by drunk driver

LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) - A mother is performing random acts of kindness that are reaching people across the country.

All done in honor of a 19-year-old Texas Tech student who was killed by a drunk driver in February at the intersection of Slide Road and 13th Street.

Sarah Dearmond, known as Gracie, is remembered as a beautiful soul who never knew a stranger and was always doing random acts of kindness. Now, her mother is doing the same in her honor.

Rhonda Dearmond knew her daughter was special, but it was not until after Gracie passed that she realized just how true it was.

“When I met so many people I had never known, all the messages that were sent to me about things she had done for them or how she touched their life. I just had no idea that she was that way for everyone,” Dearmond said, “not just her mama.”

Since Gracie’s passing, her mother has been doing random acts of kindness for people, then handing them a card to tell her daughter’s story.

One of the recipients is Monica Clabon.

“It was really moving, and I couldn’t help but tear up whenever she gave me the card,” Clabon said.

Clabon was at a nail salon in Houston when Dearmond paid for her appointment.

“She paid for both my nails and my toes and I thought that was super generous,” Clabon said, “but also it was something that came with a purpose.”

On top of spreading kindness, Dearmond is also spreading awareness about drinking and driving.

Unfortunately, she does not just know about this issue because of her daughter. Dearmond’s mother was also killed by a drunk driver 50 years ago.

Dearmond calls it is a senseless, preventable act, and she does not know why it is still happening.

“Think about other people before you think about yourself,” Dearmond said, “which is exactly what my daughter did.”

Clabon said she has not paid it forward just yet. She said she feels like the opportunity has not quite presented itself, but she thinks Gracie will help her know when the time is right.

“That’s what I want to see,” Dearmond said, “I want to see it just catch on like wildfire and everybody doing random acts of kindness and paying it forward.”

If you search the hashtag “Gracie Dearmond” on social media, you can see who else Sarah Grace’s legacy has touched.

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