Palmetto police officer turns sister's death into a community triumph

PALMETTO -- It was Halloween night, 1989, in Arcadia, Calif., and a beautiful, promising young high school student was attending a party in the California mountains. It was the last night Tanya Clavey's family and friends saw her alive.

Tanya planned to leave the party with friends, but there were too many people in the car and she didn't have access to a seat belt. For safety's sake, she took another offer. Tanya climbed into the backseat of the second vehicle, not realizing that the driver had been drinking. As they descended the mountain, the driver lost control and began to slide toward the cliff. He and a passenger bailed from the vehicle and lived. But Tanya didn't get out of the backseat and was killed when the car went over the side of the mountain.

Palmetto Police Officer Adam Spatafora has not allowed that to be the end of Tanya Clavey's story. Tanya was his sister.

Whether responding to a shooting or diffusing a domestic argument, police officers are trained to help people in need. It was just a hint of that training that led Spatafora to think outside the box when he was first hired by the department and assigned to Palmetto High School.

"While learning what kind of resources to talk to the kids about, I learned all about how financial aid works and how to try and get them signed up for what they need," said Spatafora. "What I realized is that there is nothing available in terms of financial assistance for students wanting to be police officers."

Spatafora came up with a way to help high school students get that financial aid and honor his sister's memory at the same time. He created the Tanya Clavey Memorial Foundation, a not-for-profit organization available to Manatee County high school students who want to attend the police academy. The foundation offers inspiration in reflection of Clavey's life that ended when she was just 16.

Spatafora said he encourages recipients to use their grants and student loans on college first, and the foundation will take care of the $5,000 police academy expense.

"I've learned that law enforcement is kind of catching up with mandating education as a requirement," said Spatafora. "I myself didn't have any college when I first started, but the folks at Palmetto High School encouraged me to continue my education. I feel that the more education a police officer has, the better. It gives them more life experience and makes you a better police officer when you walk into someone's life one night and have the opportunity to alter it in a good way."

The foundation raises money in various ways and will hold a car show from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 9 at Lamb and Sutton parks in Palmetto. Spatafora said the show is geared toward old hot rods and muscle cars, "not that 'Fast and Furious' stuff."

The show is free to enter and anyone with an old muscle car who would like to show their car for a good cause can register the day of the event or contact Sgt. Mike Johnston at the Palmetto Police Department. The event is free to attend and will feature a silent auction, vendors and bounce houses. More information is available at tanyaclaveyfoundation.org.

Spatafora's mother, Susan Clavey Spatafora, said her son kept the foundation quiet while he was first building it. He wanted to surprise her with the foundation on Tanya's birthday on Feb. 5. It wasn't quite documented as a not-for-profit yet, so Spatafora told his mother on Valentine's Day, Tanya's favorite holiday.

"Ever since he was a little boy, he was someone very concerned for others and looking for ways he could make a difference," said Susan Clavey Spatafora. "His sister was that kind of person, too. She was always on the phone helping friends go through difficult times, and there was nowhere we could go that someone didn't know Tanya."

She said she couldn't be prouder of her son and knows his sister is, too.

"I believe what Adam has done in her memory has tied the siblings in heaven and earth together," their mother said. "My daughter, without a doubt, is so proud of her brother. I feel in my heart she is touched and watches out for her brother when he's at work. I have great hope that this foundation will radiate out of Palmetto and will become a contagious idea that will transcend to other areas and affect as many lives as possible.

"The best outcome when you lose someone so young is to plant a seed in their memories that will continue to shine a life on when they were here. Adam has done that for his sister, and that part of it has been a big component in my healing."

Mark Young, Herald urban affairs reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7041 or follow him on Twitter@urbanmark2014.

This story was originally published December 24, 2015 at 1:19 PM with the headline "Palmetto police officer turns sister's death into a community triumph ."