Dawn Nappi has a mission: to prevent children from being killed by intoxicated drivers.

Nappi, 38, of Holbrook, has teamed up with Mothers Against Drunk Driving in the wake of the death of her daughter, Angelica Nappi.

Angelica, 14, died Friday, three days after the car she was riding in with five other girls - including her sister, Nicolette Nappi, 12 - was struck in Medford by a car police said was driven by an unlicensed driver on drugs.




"I hope the death of my daughter is a gain in that there's a productive force to prevent this from happening again," she said. "I want to spare other parents this heartache."

The driver, Stephen Catalano, 37, of West Babylon, remained in fair condition in Brookhaven Memorial Hospital Medical Center in East Patchogue, where he is in police custody. Catalano was charged with driving while ability impaired by drugs and was expected to be arraigned today in First District Court in Central Islip.

Yesterday, Nappi and her daughter attended regular church services along with her sister and niece at Abundant Joy Ministry in Yaphank, where they talked about Angelica's love of God and expressed forgiveness for Catalano.

"We pray that the Lord will change his heart and that he will serve God the way Angelica did," said Angelica's aunt, Lynn Shane, 44, of St. Petersburg, Fla.

During the service, Pastor Willie Combs told the congregation that Angelica was a likable leader and a "trooper for Christ."

"She knew God in a way I've never seen young people know God," said Combs, whose three daughters were injured in the crash.

A poster hanging on a back wall of the storefront church had a photo of the smiling teen and it read, "Angelica, I loved you like you were my sister. You will always have a special place in my heart. Im going to miss you but, I know your in a better place." [sic]

Angelica, a freshman at Sachem High School, had sought advice recently because she was being teased by her schoolmates. Some of them were doing drugs and she knew it was wrong, her mom said.

"They thought she was an oddball," Nappi said.

She said she reassured her daughter that she knew the kind of life God wanted her to lead.

"She always upheld that standard," Nappi said.

Visiting will be tomorrow and Wednesday, 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m., at Johnstons Wellwood Funeral Home in Lindenhurst.

A private funeral will be held at the funeral home on Thursday morning, followed by burial at 11:30 a.m. in Washington Memorial Park in Coram.

Nappi asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to MADD.