Father thought he’d be celebrating her wedding, not her life
KELOWNA – In the parking lot of a large church in Rutland, friends and family of the young woman killed in a car accident last week watched as her remains were slowly driven down Highway 33 atop a Joe Rich Fire Rescue truck.
Hundreds of people gathered on Saturday morning, Feb. 7, to remember Alexandra Paulina Nyuli, 21, including dozens of first responders from the Central Okanagan who showed support for her father, Curtis Nyuli, the Joe Rich Fire Chief. It was his team who found the wreckage of her car in the late afternoon of Jan. 28. Her vehicle left the road in Joe Rich and rolled down a 100-metre embankment.
During the two-hour service at Willow Park Church, family and friends spoke of her accomplishments, her struggles and the impact she made on their lives.
“Alley was beautiful inside and out,” Curtis said. “Naturally as parents you expect to one day… put on a big celebration for them, especially if they’re girls. It’s usually a wedding. Unfortunately that’s not going to happen.”
He said one of his firefighters was the first to discover the accident.
“He made the call to the fire hall and said ‘Chief, I have some strange tracks going off the road.'”
Those tracks led down a snow covered embankment where the wreckage and Alley's body was found.
Pastor Perry Stang called her “a treasure” who kept the peace in her family.
“A death has occurred and everything has changed,” he said. “We are painfully aware that life can never be the same again.”
Alley’s older sister Katie, who also played hockey on her midget AAA hockey team, read a poem she wrote.
She also addressed her sister directly.
“There is no better best friend than a sister and there was no better sister than you,” she said. “Although you have physically left us, within me forever you will live on. Rest in paradise my beautiful angel, love, your best friend Katers.”
To contact the reporter for this story, email Adam Proskiw at aproskiw@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-0428. To contact the editor, email mjones@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
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18 responses
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I have been praying for your family since one of my friends who lives in Joe Rich told me about the accident. HUGS to all of you!
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So sorry for your loss Donna, Paula and family, I am so sad to hear of her parting so young, such a tragedy, may god bless you all with much strength, our prayers are with you! xoxo ?
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So sorry for your loss Donna, Paula and family, I was so sad to hear of her parting so young, such a tragedy, may god bless you all with much strength, our prayers are with you! xoxo
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My thoughts & prayers to the Family & friends of this Young Lady. Too Young taken, a parent is not suppose to bury their child. RIP
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I will miss you forever You were such a joy to be around Grandpa& I know you are dancing in the heavens We love you so much.
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What a wonderful tribute to such a vibrant young person.My heart, thoughts and prayers go out to you all.
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I remember thinking when our son died that it throws off the whole natural order of things when your children die before you.Life will never be normal again because that normal included your beautiful daughter physically in it, BUT I can promise you that in time you will make a new normal and one day you will be able to talk about her and look at pictures without constant tears.That takes a long time, be kind to yourselves and love each other through this.I wish you all love and peace as you take this long journey that we hoped never to have to take.
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Hey, Ive lost someone very close to me to, I know what you guys are going threw :/ And me and my family are sending are prayers out to you <3. I fully understand :( But she will always be there right beside you. Watching you. Making you feel like her presences is there. My dad was in a bike accident when I was 11 I'm 18 now :/ Its been tuff but it makes me for who I am today.He meant the world to me. And I meant the world to him. Don't give your hopes up. There's nothing you can do except move forward with your family and take as much time to care for the one you lost :/ Many prays go out to you :( This just makes me sad :/
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What a wonderful tribute. I wept with her cousins on hearing the news because I also lost a nephew suddenly at that age as well.Our prayers go out to her family
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My beautiful, loving and caring Grandaughter Alley, I will carry our beautiful memories forever inmy heart, and you will always be with me, I will never ever let you be far from my heart and thoughts. Sleep with the angels my darling, hugs and kisses from Nanny, and give your Uncle Jamie and Poppa hugs from me.
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My beautiful, loving & caring Granddaughter Alley, I will carry our beautiful memories, forever in my heart, and you will always be with me, I will never ever let you be far from my heart and thoughts, sleep with the angels my darling and give your Uncle Jamie and Poppa hugs from me.
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