Those who knew Alyssa Sladek say she embodied selflessness.

“She was always looking for ways to make things better -- not for credit, not for anything else -- just because she wanted that for the world,” said Sierra Claridge, a close friend.

Sladek, 37, was killed in the early hours of New Year’s Day after being struck by an alleged drunk driver near Bigfork.

As family and friends prepare for court proceedings with a trial set to begin next spring, they share a common sentiment: Sladek’s life was more than one moment.

“She had a life, values, things she was contributing. Alyssa’s contributions to the world were not small,” Claridge said. “The person lost ends up being lost in the shuffle, we end up remembering the aftermath.”

ON DEC. 31, 2024, Claridge joined Sladek at one of her sist

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