Family and friends gathered Friday night to honor the life of 44-year-old Isabel Alvarez, who was struck and killed while working along the Nassau Expressway on Sept. 19.

Loved ones wore memorial T-shirts as they remembered Alvarez as a devoted daughter with a kind soul. Police say a 25-year-old man, driving without a license, was recklessly speeding through a safety zone when he hit Alvarez before fleeing the scene.

“This could’ve been completely avoidable,” said her sister-in-law Margie. “The reason we need to slow down is because of what just happened to my sister-in-law. People disregard the rules of the road. These workers are putting their lives at risk to build new highways. It could happen to anyone.”

The Alvarez family says they will continue to honor her memory as they prepare to lay her to rest Monday.