Instead of traditional floral tributes, her family requested that memorial donations be directed to organizations she actively loved and worked for, including The Center for Youth & Family Solutions and Volunteers of America. A GoFundMe campaign was also organized by loved ones to raise charitable contributions for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago in her name, celebrating a life that was deeply committed to making the world a safer, more compassionate place.
Remarkably, Emily’s strength had already made headlines a year prior to the fatal accident. In April 2016, just days before her 22nd birthday and subsequent graduation from ISU, Emily was the victim of a violent, unprovoked physical assault while power walking on Bloomington-Normal’s popular Constitution Trail . emily houska car accident