‘You meet her, you love her’: Family remembers young mother killed in crash

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - “She’d make you smile when you walk in the room. You meet her, you love her. That’s just Alyssia,” said Alyssia Sparks’ mother, Jennifer Hernandez.

20-year-old Sparks was studying social work at EKU during the day, she was a part-time waitress in the evenings, and a full time mom to eight-month-old Alaejah Garrad.

“Right now, the only thing we have of Alyssia is memories and videos, pictures, to share with the baby as she grows older.”

Alyssia’s mom Jennifer Hernandez said her daughter was in the car with her eight month old on US-62 in Cynthiana Saturday. A truck hit Alyssia’s car. She died, but her daughter Alaejah miraculously survived.

“It’s so hard to explain when you have to bury one of your babies at such a young age and then knowing that that night, her soul was gone, but another soul came along to help my granddaughter. It just touches you.”

Hernandez said a man nearby saw the accident, and pulled over to try and help Alyssia at first. Then he eventually heard Alaejah cry.

“He got her baby out of the car. Took her back to his truck. Got her out of the car seat and comforted her until the EMT got there.”

Hernandez said Alyssia wanted to become a social worker to help others, especially kids.

“She didn’t like to see anyone sad or down. She would you bring you back to earth, she would just brighten your day.”

And in her final moments, Hernandez said the last person Alyssia saved was her own little girl.

“I think she just knew was my baby has to stay. You cant take both of us, you’re only going to take one.”

Along with her daughter and mother, Alyssia leaves behind her father, Nicolas Hernandez, her two brothers, Tyler Corns and Adrian Hernandez, her two sisters, Daniela Hernandez and Rosa Hernandez, and her boyfriend Tyre Garrard.

The family created a GoFundMe to buy Alyssia a headstone, help with funeral costs, and whatever is left with go to a fund for her daughter, Alaejah. You can find a link to the fundraiser here.

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