The family of Nicole Gregory, one of five people killed in Saturday's devastating crash on I-20, is remembering her as someone full of life and hopelessly devoted to her loved ones.  

The sudden loss of the 48-year-old has left a deep and painful void, one her sister, Alicia, and daughter, Hailee, are still coming to terms with. 

"My parents split up when I was very young, and it was me and my mom my entire life," Hailee LaJeunesse Gregory said. 

Hailee Gregory said growing up, her mom was at every soccer game and theater performance. They were inseparable, and she always felt loved and supported.  

"She was my soul mate," she said. "Anyone that knew me and my mom, they knew that we were a package deal." 

Last Saturday, Nicole Gregory spent the day with a close friend and was heading to watch one of her favorite bands, The Flannel Pajamas, perform when she was involved in an accident on I-20 in Kaufman County. 

Authorities say the driver of an 18-wheeler fell asleep at the wheel, crashing into several vehicles. 

"The last text that I sent her was, 'I love you and be safe,'" Hailee Gregory said. "That was the last time I got to talk to her. That was the last text that I know she opened."  

Now, imagining a future without her feels unbearable. 

"I just think I'm engaged, and she won't be at my wedding," Nicole Gregory's sister, Alicia LaJeunesse, said. "Her milestones that she's going to be missing out on... It's hard just knowing the things to come." 

"She wanted to be a grandmother so badly," Hailee Gregory said. "I wanted nothing more than to give her a grandchild and to see how she would be as a grandmother."

What's helping them cope is the outpouring of love and support.  They say Nicole Gregory had a gift for making people feel seen and never hesitated to help someone in need. 

In return, the community is giving back. A GoFundMe has already raised thousands of dollars to support the family.