Gathered at the family home in Green Bay, Nicole Vanderheyden's parents, siblings, family and friends remembered a loving mother, sister and daughter on Tuesday.
"She was an absolutely amazing person," said her sister Heather Meyer.
Meyer and her mother Vicki said it doesn't seem real, calling the situation a nightmare.
"Absolutely terrible," said Meyer. "It's just been extremely up and down, numbing pain."
They said it's been unbelievably difficult losing the bright light of a sister and daughter that shone in their lives, as well as the lives of her three children.
"I think it just hasn't hit them yet, the reality that they're never going to see their mom again," said Meyer.
Meyer said her sister Nicole was a devoted mother, a sentiment echoed by her close friends.
"She radiated love and light," said friend Tiffany Hoffman.
Nikki, as her friends and family call her, was also a substitute teacher in the Green Bay Area Public School District.
"Science was her niche," Hoffman explained.
Vanderheyden loved nature and showing her children the outdoors.
"She had a genuine, wonderful passion for life," said Hoffman.
Friend and family have set up both a Go Fund Me page and a fund on Generosity.com for funeral services and her children's future.
"Just giving them the life that they deserve and she would have wanted for them," said Meyer.
The family is asking those wishing to share their condolences to donate to the memorial funds in lieu of sending flowers. The links are below:
GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/25njkthw
Generosity.com: https://www.generosity.com/memorial-fundraising/memorial-fund--4
