“There were a million ways that Olivia was going to change the world.”
Olivia Red’s sisters say she was full of life.
“She just sang and danced wherever she went. No matter what she was doing. If she was getting dressed or cooking, she was singing,” said Stephanie Urban, Olivia’s sister.
“Her fire and her spark were so contagious. Of course, if you lose someone, it’s tragic. But for someone that was just so full of life and perfect.”
Olivia is from the Johnstown area but graduated from Seminole High School in Florida.
She had a full ride to Harvard University to play soccer but turned it down to be closer to family.
“She turned it down. She said, ‘No sissy, I want to come be in PA with you guys, and I want to be with my family.’ So, she was just starting to get going.”
In her senior yearbook, Olivia wrote, “She wants to travel and do good in the world.”
“Do good in the world. You don’t notice those things until after the fact,” said Nicole Antal, Olivia’s sister.
That all came to an end on May 31st, 2018.
Olivia was hit by a pickup truck which was driving southbound in the northbound lanes on 219 and sadly passed away.
“It’s just not fair what happened to her. It’s just not fair,” her sisters said.
She was driving a friend home at the time, who was also seriously injured.
“Olivia put her hand out and said, ‘Hang on.'”
The driver of the pickup truck, Chase Turner, was sentenced to 8 to 16 years in prison.
He was found guilty on all 7 charges including homicide by vehicle while under the influence.
“Plan your night. Do what you need to do to make sure this right here doesn’t happen, and another life isn’t taken,”
“Take a minute and get a ride. Phone someone. Get an Uber. Do anything that you can. Just don’t get in that car. Because this is what could happen.”
Her family just got Olivia’s car back after it was impounded for evidence during the three-year trail.
But instead of taking it to a scrapyard, the sisters are making use of it to show the dangers of drinking and driving.
“We want it as an educational tool to see that this is real life. This is what happens,” Stephanie said.
“We promised her that day at the funeral home me and my sister that we’re going to keep this going. That’s what Olivia deserved.”
The DUI Association will find a permanent home for the car.
But for now, it will travel around to teach children in schools, sharing Olivia’s story along the way.
Even through Olivia has passed, she will be travelling and doing good in the world, just like she wrote in her yearbook.
“Her plans were to do good in this world, and that was stolen from her. So that’s what we want to do. We want to do good in the world in her name.”
