JAMESTOWN, N.Y. (WKBW) — It's just a few weeks shy of one year since Alexis Hughan's death.
7 News spoke with some of her family and friends who said the holidays have been hard enough without her here. Those sentiments coupled with the most recent case, the pain is even worse.
"Like it almost takes you back to the fresh, like emotions, the raw emotions because you know somebody else had that feeling too," said Vivienne White, friend of Alexis Hughan. "Somebody else had to go through that heart break. the sinking horrible it’s never gonna be the same again feeling.”
Hughan's parents, little sister and friend say thinking back to the day they lost their “Lexy” brings back all the despair in the world.
"I saw a call from a city number and it was the police telling me that it had happened," said Sara Rafaloski, Hughan's Mom. "So, I just ran outside and I screamed and my next door neighbor actually came out and just hugged me.”
They said there was no greater pain until the day they found out the driver of the vehicle, 59-year-old Randall Rolison was released on bail.
"So with the bail bonds he was able to get out rather quickly, within a month I think," said Jeffrey Hughan, Hughan's Dad. "So, we were not happy about that.”
"The thought that that kind of pain could be inflicted onto somebody else is just heartbreaking and really worrying," said White.
Almost exactly one year later, this families worst fear came true.
Investigators said on December 2nd, Rolison hit and killed again. This time it was 71-year-old Linda Kraemer.
"Somebody’s grandma’s not going to be making Christmas dinner for their family this year because of his negligence of running a stop sign," said Rafaloski. "That’s a terrible feeling.”
It’s a feeling they now know all too well.
"Yeah I’m not celebrating this year," said Hughan.
"You know the holidays are about family and it hasn’t felt like the holidays," said Rafaloski. "It’s not fun at all.”
”It’s hard because it just feels like that key, it’s like a whole," said White. "It’s like a whole in your heart.”
