'Her character was unmatched' -- Family remembers Alexa Stakely
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- After a 29-year-old mother lost her life while trying to save her son from an attempted carjacking incident, her family is speaking out.
According to Columbus Police, at around 1:30 a.m. officers found a woman who had been injured near the intersection of Blue Knoll Drive and Annual Drive. Alexa Stakely just got off work and went to pick up her 6-year-old son from the babysitter's. Stakely brought out her child, who was asleep, and placed him in the back seat. According to police she then returned to the apartment to retrieve her belongings.
Police say a suspect jumped into the car, which was left running and started to drive off. Stakely ran from the door and toward the car, screaming for her child, according to police. The car hit Stakely, throwing her to the ground and resulting in a fatal head wound.
Now, her family wants the community to know the type of woman she was.
We spoke with her two younger brothers, Hayden and Reed Swartz. They told NBC4 that she and her son were two peas in a pod. They did everything together. Many are calling her actions heroic, but her brothers say that's just who she was.
“Alexa was just like an extremely outgoing, resilient person and a mother. And just her character was unmatched,” Hayden said.
Alexa was a daughter, sister, teacher and, perhaps most importantly, a mother. Her brothers said she was also extremely dedicated to her job as a speech and language pathologist at Canal Winchester Schools.
“She was always there for us as a kid when it came to learning. I had a speech impediment growing up. I think that's where it sparked, it's like she just was always loving and she always cared so much,” Reed said. “Words can’t describe what she does for people.”
Hayden and Reed said the only word they can use to describe this tragic incident is "unreal." They all rushed to be by her side. They said they weren’t surprised by her actions after she saw the suspect get into her car and begin to drive away with her son sleeping in the back seat.
“It definitely reflected on how her mom nature just kicked into play,” Reed said. “Really just shows how nurturing she was to her boy.”
Both brothers said Alexa was a bright light and they’ll miss her. Right now, all they can do is remain positive for her son.
“Alexa would want us to be strong and love on him and just, you know, not be so sad and celebrate her life and what she did,” Hayden said.
Columbus police are asking anyone with information about the two males to contact them. They have released a QR code for people to submit anonymous tips.