ST. LOUIS PARK, Minn. — At Westwood Lutheran Church in St. Louis Park, friends and family gathered to say goodbye to Kristina Folkerts.
"Bubbly, happy, just a bright, cheerful person,” family friend Linda Hipp said.
"Wonderful, beautiful little girl, and young woman, and the world has lost a really great person."
Many of Folkerts' co-workers at Park Tavern will also remember her infectious positive energy.
"She always brought a smile to the table, she could always make customers laugh and everybody who got to meet her remembered her,” co-worker Abbey Geraty said.
Geraty was also working at Park Tavern the night police say a drunk driver crashed into the outdoor patio of the restaurant.
Geraty says one of her fondest memories of Folkerts happened the day of the crash when Folkerts shared an uplifting and positive message.
"She told me as she put her sunglasses down and she went outside she said nothing is going to hurt my day today."
Geraty says she will miss that positive spirit, especially now as employees try to carry on without her.
"It's difficult. It's definitely a big piece of Park Tavern is lost. It still feels empty. As much as we are trying to power through and remember her, it is really, really difficult,” Geraty told KARE.
Bar manager Christian Smith says grieving together has helped.
“Honestly every single one of us has become stronger together than before,” Smith said.
He says the entire community has come together to heal during this difficult time.
"Between the guests, the associates, St. Louis Park, we've all been rallying around together,” Smith says.
The community is also rallying to support Folkerts' three young daughters.
A GoFundMe page organized for Folkerts’ daughters has brought in more than $219,000 in donations as of Thursday night.