Diane Aluska shoved her teen daughter out of harm’s way while absorbing the fatal brunt of the runaway Toyota Corolla’s impact.
A Long Island teen mourned the shocking death of her mother at a heartbreaking Tuesday funeral that was nearly her own.
Jenna Aluska, 16, wore a large white back brace from injuries suffered in a Mother’s Day accident where she was shoved to safety by mom Diane — who was then killed by a runaway car.
“She gave her life for her child, ” said Monsignor Joseph DeGrocco, speaking on behalf of the family at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Lindenhurst, L. I.
“As difficult as it is that her death occurred on Mother’s Day, perhaps there is also a beauty to that.”
Diane Aluska, 55, was walking alongside her daughter when a car with an 80-year-old driver came speeding in reverse as the pair left the 8 a.m. Mass on May 14.
Diane, as the car jumped the curb, shoved her teen daughter out of harm’s way while absorbing the fatal brunt of the Toyota Corolla’s impact.
Jenna, along with her father Kenneth and her brothers Andrew and Matt, followed Diane’s gold casket into the suburban church where 100 friends and relatives turned out to say goodbye.
“It’s a tragedy that leaves us speechless, ” said DeGrocco. “We don’ t know what to say. It’s too overwhelming to process.”
Kenneth Aluska waited a day to tell his daughter about Diane’s death. Jenna underwent surgery shortly after the crash, and her dad didn’ t want to let her know until the operation was finished.
DeGrocco noted that all the emotions stirred by the mother’s ultimate sacrifice couldn’ t alter what happened.
“There is not one person here today who would not do anything to just undo this terrible tragedy, ” the monsignor said.
“Everyone here would do anything if we could just make it all go away and have Diane back with us. But we can’ t.”
