Happy birthday, Alli Jo

NORWALK — Every kid deserves ice cream. On the west end of the city, many strong connections and emotions surround the day-to-day operations of AJ's Ice Cream for owners Jack Kurdinat and Veronica Stanley-Kurdinat. And seeing a youngster smile while enjoying an ice-cream cone is usually near the top of the list at the 296 W. Main St. business. "Part of it is spreading the love," Veronica said. "That's huge for us. We are able to do more things with the community. Alli Jo was … she might not be here in person, but her love is still here. This is our way of still being able to love her." In May 2021, Alli Jo Kurdinat, 15, was killed by a drunk driver. On that busy Friday, Veronica was driving her stepdaughter to work at Vargo's Drive-In on Milan Avenue when the fatal accident occurred. About two years afterward, Jack and Veronica bought the former H&B's Hop and renamed the business in Alli's memory. This week, the business continued another summer tradition: celebrating what would have been Alli's 20th birthday, AJ's sold birthday-cake ice-cream sundaes for $1 all day Tuesday. Every customer also received a "Do it for Jo" bracelet and magnet. Five customers received a "Do it for Jo" random-act-of-kindness chit that paid their bill. The day was predictably busy with customers lining up near the sign that features a caricature image of Alli eating an ice-cream cone. "Doing this job every day, but knowing her memory is out there, is really important," Jack said. "We choose to celebrate her every day, but especially her birthday." Raising awareness The May 21, 2021, crash that claimed Alli's life occurred on Mason Road between Ohio 13 and Old Mason Road. The vehicle driven by Veronica was hit head-on by a drunk driver, who also died at the scene. Veronica suffered serious injuries and was taken to Cleveland by helicopter. She spent six months recovering in the hospital, a nursing home and rehabilitation centers before she could return home. In spring 2022, Jack and Veronica and Alli Jo's mother, Heather Armstrong, began a "Drive Sober" campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of drunk driving. Yard signs were given to anyone who wanted one. Those "Drive Sober" signs featured a picture of Alli Jo, who was a sophomore at Norwalk High School and EHOVE Career Center when she was killed. Billboards were also placed around the area to keep the message going. "We would also do parades and hand out the bracelets at those types of events as well," Jack said. Inspired by the family's efforts to raise awareness, a commander from the Ohio State Highway Patrol's Norwalk post invited the family to join troopers at an OVI checkpoint on U.S. 250 in September 2022. Next to the row of traffic cones alongside the highway was a stack of yard signs. Drivers who were checked received a flyer with statistics on impaired driving, along with a picture of Alli. The Kurdinats also speak at court-ordered classes for DUI offenders in a five-county radius. Reliving the memory of such a horrible accident is difficult every time, they noted. "But maybe if we put ourselves out there and allow our emotions and that love to be there, then maybe someone else's Alli Jo gets to come home," Veronica said. "If that one person makes one better choice or chooses to make that phone call, it means 'someone's Alli' gets to come home. "For me, it keeps me going. Knowing I can still do something for her. People have come up to us afterward and said, 'I heard you.' I pray that we saved their victim because they heard our story. That's why we do it and continue to do it." Spreading joy While the $1 birthday sundae is a summer celebration, the family has used several other avenues to honor Alli. Last September, all profits from one business day went to the family of Logan Lewis. An NHS senior, Logan died in a head-on crash on his way to school on Ohio 61 on Sept. 3, 2024. "We understand what that family is going through, so we wanted to try and give them even just a little relief," Jack said. "We just wanted to help." AJ's has also teamed with the Norwalk Police Department, providing cards for free ice cream to hand out to kids who've been noticed for being kind. "That creates a good interaction with the kids," Veronica said. "They're not afraid of the police. And every kid deserves an ice-cream cone. They need that experience. That brings joy. "Ice cream brings happiness." At the end of each school year, a group of Pleasant Elementary students walks to AJ's for ice cream, with the business covering the cost. "That's just because we want to see that many smiles happen because of Alli Jo," Veronica said. She often finds herself referencing a picture of Alli and her sister, Alizabeth, eating ice cream on a picnic table when the place was known as H&B's Hop. On Tuesday, Alizabeth, Veronica, Jack, and Gwen Loudy — one of Alli Jo's closest friends — started their work day with a birthday-cake sundae. Both Alizabeth and Gwen, who had known Alli Jo since preschool, work at AJ's. "It's a hard, but happy day," Loudy noted about Alli's birthday. "I'm sad and happy. I wish she was here to celebrate, but I'm happy that we are able to celebrate her and everything she has done. Being able to work here is meaningful. "I'm able to spread the love that she is no longer able to give personally. But I know she is with us every day. She's pushing us to give and be better and happier for everyone." Employing teenagers each summer season is important, Jack and Veronica said. "It's not just for the community, but it's for these kids who also need a job and need love," Veronica added. "They are absolutely incredible kids, and every one of them cares about our mission and are wonderful individuals. And to be able to be there for them still gives us a little piece of Alli." After the business changed hands, Jack walked through the building before starting hiring interviews ahead of their first full season. He found a yellow folder filled with papers sitting by a microwave. "Something told me to just reach up and grab it and see what it was," Jack said. "There was still stuff inside that I hadn't seen before. So I grabbed it and opened it up and saw it was a stack of applications. "The second one in there was Alli's. She applied here and at Vargo's and got the job at Vargo's — but then the accident happened not long after." Owning the business has brought challenges: bad weather, road construction and equipment malfunctions all present problems and worries. But Jack and Veronica see those as a sign to keep going and push harder. "We'll get through it," she said. "We've seen some really bad days, so it takes a lot for us to say, 'today was a really bad day.' We do these things because Alli was the most gentle soul in the world with the biggest heart. "This is our way to honor her and still see other kids make those memories. We want to make sure other people have those same memories."