Fargo woman killed in crash remembered for infectious spirit, love for young daughter

FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) - A Fargo woman is being remembered for her infectious spirit and immense love for her daughter tonight after a fatal car crash exactly one week ago. 28-year-old Josephine Jacobawi was killed in a head-on crash near Milbank, S.D. on Nov. 7 while her family says she was working another job delivering pharmaceuticals.

Rachel Alderson says it was a fast friendship when she met Jacobawi nearly three years ago.

“She was kind in everything she did. When she talked to you, she made you feel like you were the only person in the room,” Alderson said.

That friendship carried into work as Alderson hired Jacobawi at her Detroit Lakes, Minn. massage therapy clinic and then again this spring when Alderson opened Fargo’s first Stretch Lab location.

“She’s probably one of the hardest working women that I ever knew,” Alderson said.

Alderson says Jacobawi’s sudden passing has shattered both her and Jacobawi’s many clients. She says Jacobawi was well-known for how much she loved her five-year-old daughter, Delilah.

“You think about sports moms with the pin on their shirt, wearing that badge of honor on their shirt. (Delilah) was her badge of honor. She was her pride and joy,” Alderson smiled.

Immigrating from Sudan 22 years ago, Alderson says Jacobawi was the epitome of living the ‘American Dream’ as she was working hard to save enough money to send Delilah to Oak Grove schools.

“She just wanted her to have the best; The best education, a Christian-based education, she wanted her to have every opportunity,” Alderson said.

Wanting to help keep that dream alive, Alderson and Stretch Lab have started an online fundraiser for Delilah, with an event in honor of Jacobawi planned at the Fargo studio Tuesday, Nov. 15 where the community can give a free-will donation. Alderson says staff and friends of Jacobawi will write letters to Delilah and other members of Jacobawi’s family detailing the impact she left on their hearts.

“Delilah’s only five, so we just wanted to give her something she could treasure so she can always feel like she knew a little bit of her mom,” Alderson said through tears.

Tuesday’s event goes from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Fargo’s Stretch Lab located at 1650 45th St. S., Suite 118. You can find the other GoFundMe for Jacobawi’s funeral expenses here.

“We all just hope that we have a little bit of the impact that she had on all of us,” Alderson said.

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