'She was a wonderful, wonderful person'

NORWALK — They will never get their daughter back, but their hopes are no other parents will have to go through the pain and suffering they did. Friends and family of Alli Jo Kurdinat gathered Monday afternoon at Bishman Park in Norwalk to hand out signs saying "Drive Sober" and "Alli Jo." "We are taking donations for the signs and it will go for Alli Jo's scholarship," said Jack Kurdinat, Alli Jo's father. "It makes you feel better. My wife (Veronica Stanley-Kurdinat), she was in the car with Alli. She is doing good. We almost lost her but she pulled through. It was a miracle." Also was on hand was Alli Jo's mom, Heather Armstrong, along with a number of Alli Jo's friends. "We have had a lot of people reach out prior to day and pick up signs," Armstrong said. "It has been overwhelming. One day at a time. A different feeling every day. I think we are doing pretty good." What is the main purpose of the 850 yard signs? "What I want people to understand is to think before they get behind the wheel," Armstrong said. "There is always other options. There is people who have families — it is not just you. There are people with mothers, fathers and children. "But I always want her to be remembered for the wonderful person she was and not just a victim. She was a wonderful, wonderful person and she had so much ahead of her. We don't want this to happen to anybody else." Alli Jo died in a May 21, 2021 automobile accident at the age of 15. She was a student at Norwalk High School and EHOVE Career Center in Avery. The crash occurred on Mason Road between Ohio 13 and Old Mason Road when a vehicle driven by 49-year-old Nicholas M. Barylski failed to negotiate a curve and struck the car driven by Stanley. Barylski, of Huron, was ejected from his vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene. It was later ruled he had extremely high levels of alcohol in his blood. Alli enjoyed playing video games, reading, singing, painting and drawing. She had a passion for cooking and planned to begin the culinary arts program at EHOVE this year. Along with her parents, Heather (Karl) Armstrong and Jack (Veronica Stanley) Kurdinat; Alli was survived by siblings, Hannah Hales and Alizabeth Stanley; and four-legged companion, Rusty. Alli worked at Vargo's Drive-In in Norwalk and was involved in the Blue Pride marching band at NHS. In June, an October Glory tree was planted in her memory next to the baseball field and school rock at the high school, where band members pass by it every day on the way to practice.