Diane Aluska was a Mother that lived for her daughter, Jenna.
But sadly, she also died for her.
It happened last year on Mother’s Day, and as the painful 1-year anniversary of her mom’s death may be, Jenna spoke out to Eyewitness News about her coping mechanisms and how she has been doing since the tragedy.
“You just need to grow from it,” Jenna said. “You need to get yourself together, in a sense.”
Jenna, who is now a 17-year-old high school junior said that coming to terms with the tragic loss hasn’t been easy.
The teen has filled two journals with letters to her mother, which have helped her cope.
She said that her mom was her best friend and that they always spent time together sharing secrets and telling each other everything.
Diane had pushed her daughter out of harm’s way as a car seemed to come from nowhere on Wellwood Avenue in Lindenhurst in May of 2017.
Jenna suffered back injuries, but her Mom was pinned underneath the car and died. Jenna remembered little about that terrible day, except that they had just come out of church.
She said they were holding hands, talking about a boy that Jenna liked and an upcoming dance solo. Then, Jenna said, she blacked out.
“It was scary,” she said. “I woke up and there was glass in front of me. I didn’t realize what was going on.”
The 80-year-old driver didn’t realize that her car was in reverse, and when she hit the gas, the vehicle went flying onto the sidewalk. Jenna was hurt, but thanks to her Mom, she survived.
“I broke two parts of my spine,” she said.
When Jenna woke up from surgery, her father, Ken, had to tell her they lost her mother.
Jenna is just trying to hold onto to all the happier memories.
“My favorite thing she cooked was spaghetti and meatballs, and she was awesome at it,” Jenna said with a smile. “She could cook, like, anything.”
Jenna also has an important message this Mother’s Day, to so many others who’ve lost their moms.
“You’re not alone,” she said. “You’re not the only person who is going through this.”
This year, she’ll spend Mother’s Day at the cemetery with her father.