It’s an emotional time for the family and friends of a woman killed in a hit and run on Baxter Avenue.
It was just outside Gilda’s Club in the Highlands on Friday night near the intersection of Baxter and Broadway where Nuril Papapietro was hit.
"She could light up a room and she was just a fabulous person inside and out," said family friend Mallorie Burczyk.
Her friend, 37-year-old "Dini" Papapietro of Goshen, Kentucky, was killed in a hit and run crash leaving behind her husband and 11-year-old daughter.
"You have to imagine that there's an 11-year-old girl now who will grow up without her mother and a wonderful man who no longer has his wife and that really painful for them," said Burczyk.
After dropping her daughter off at the Gilda’s Club Friday night, Papapietro, was crossing Baxter Avenue to get back to her car and was hit by a minivan.
"they swerved just to the left a bit and went right over her with both wheels, went right over her. They didn't just hit her they went right over her and sped off immediately," Kyle Riggs told WHAS11 after witnessing the accident.
Later that night, Papapietro died at University hospital.
"She was just a really loving wife and mother and a very good friend to all who knew her. Anyone you speak to will speak to that as well," said Burczyk.
Her friends say she loved to help people, whether it was through teaching young girls how to model or by helping people coping with cancer.
And they say Dini will be missed.
"This is something that doesn't go away. You don't wake up and this is better one morning. It will always be the same. She'll always be gone for her and 11-years-old, she has a whole lifetime ahead of her and unfortunately dini won't be able to be a part of that and she should have been."
On Friday, the Gilda’s Club will be holding a celebration of life for Dini that is open to the public at 3:00 p.m.
