‘She was an adventurous spirit’: Olivia Alvarez remembered by friends, family

Marisol Alvarez White was born 30 days after her cousin Olivia Alvarez, which led to a lifelong friendship and the two cousins becoming “besties” and milestone companions.

In October, Olivia visited Marisol in Burlington. Marisol remembers Olivia talking about how she finally felt like her life was on track. She had gotten engaged, and on Dec. 14, she and her family were going to pick out her wedding dress. Olivia had said she believed her life was “on the up.” She felt everything was falling into place.

“During our whole relationship we have always been extremely vocal about loving each other,” Marisol said, not able to hold back tears. “We never left anything unsaid.”

On Dec. 8, Olivia, 27, was killed in a crash on Highway 218 after her vehicle was struck head-on by a subject driving the wrong way while fleeing law enforcement.

The chase began in Muscatine when police received a report that Brittany Miles, 36, had been driving around town, shooting a gun at people on the street. The gun was later found to be a realistic-looking air gun. When officers tried to stop her, she fled out of town. One officer was hospitalized after losing control of his vehicle near the Cedar River during the chase.

The chase continued onto Highway 218 in Washington County where the crash occurred at mile marker 78, near Riverside. Miles was driving north in the southbound lanes when she struck Olivia, who was driving south.

Olivia had been driving behind her fiancé, on the way to deliver a vehicle before returning home to Cedar Rapids. Marisol said he saw the crash.

Marisol remembers screaming when she was told. She still has a hard time accepting that her best friend is gone.

“She was an adventurous spirit,” Marisol said. “When we were kids, I was always the shy one, but she always had so much vibrance and life to her.”

Olivia’s sister, Jessica Alvarez, remembers the last time she and Olivia spoke. Jessica was wishing Olivia a happy birthday and a wonderful year.

“She was my first little sister and I just remember how happy I was going to meet her,” Jessica recalls. “I was always proud of her achievements throughout her life with dance, cheerleading, her success in the working field, always reaching the highest of goals.”

Both Marisol and Jessica remember how devoted to family Olivia was.

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Marisol also commented on Olivia’s love of animals, especially reptiles. She laughed that Olivia had several cages of reptiles in her home.

“She has so many reptile pets that she has just babied and taken care of and nursed back to health,” she said. “She’s a huge animal lover. She loves snakes and bearded dragons. She and her fiancé have a house and they had six or more tanks full of reptiles.”

In the coming days and weeks, Marisol plans to honor Olivia.

“In my mind our future was that we would be able to come back together, throughout our whole lives to celebrate each other,” Marisol said. “Now, her story ends and mine keeps going. It doesn’t feel right that hers ended, and I wanted her to be with me throughout it all. I don’t know what the future looks like but I have to find a way to honor her throughout my whole life now.”

Jessica also said that her family will always remember Olivia.

“We're all going to mourn her death and celebrate her life,” Jessica said. “I will hug my loved ones a little tighter each day because tomorrow is never promised.”