Born on October 11, 1994 in Boston, Massachusetts, to parents Anna Cheshire Levitan and Rich Levitan, Merritt was the adored older sister, aka “Sissy,” to her younger sister Hunter Levitan and brother Joseph Levitan.

In 2013, Merritt decided to spend the summer before her freshman year at Colgate University traversing the United States… by bike. She, along with a group of thirteen teenagers and two trained guides, embarked upon a 3,000 mile cross-country bike trip.

On July 2, 2013, Merritt and her group were riding on a rural road in Arkansas when a car crashed into them, severely injuring several bikers and critically injuring Merritt.

Merritt sustained a traumatic brain injury.

She died the next day, on July 3, 2013.

The young man was texting and driving.

The crash cost Merritt her life. It could have been prevented by education and awareness. Texting and driving was & still is not against the law in Arkansas.

Turning grief into action

TextLess Live More was founded in the Fall of 2013 by Merritt’s high school friends, led by Emeline Atwood, Abigail Lebowitz, Kaitlin Gately, and Erika Lamere, who were compelled to turn their grief into action to save lives and prevent tragic crashes.

Our logo embraces Merritt and her live more spirit: blue was her favorite color and she loved the outdoors, especially skiing, hiking, and biking at Sugarbush Mountain in Vermont.

Our TextLess Live More PSAs are narrated by actor Giancarlo Esposito of Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, and Maze Runner, and directed by Allen Sowelle.

For Merritt Our Inspiration