JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) – HalieAnn Rex was 26 years old when she was struck by a vehicle while riding her bicycle. For five days, Rex’s loved ones filled the hospital waiting rooms before she unfortunately passed away.

“My sister was one of the most unique and kind people I’ve ever known,” said Jacob Rex, HalieAnn’s older brother. “So it wasn’t a surprise when we were at the hospital, and people just kept coming in, and we filled the waiting room every day for five days.”

Rex had worked as an Outdoor Adventure Graduate Assistant for the ETSU Campus Recreation Department for two months before her death. Shortly after her passing, the department began looking for a way to remember her.

“One of the ways that we thought about was to create a student leadership award at ETSU,” said Kari Alvarado, Director of Campus Recreation. “So we established the HaileAnn Rex Student Leadership Fund.”

The school contacted Rex’s family, who had already been looking for a way to honor her. Jacob said, the scholarship truly reflects who his sister was.

“We didn’t really know what we wanted to do,” said Jacob. “And ETSU took the lead, and they, I think they saw the writing on the wall that Halie had only been there, she’d only been there for like two months, and in two months, she had made such an impact on the people at ETSU that they felt pretty compelled to do something.”

According to Alvarado, the scholarship will be awarded to a campus recreation student employee or participant who embodies Halie’s spirit.

“Someone who is adventurous,” said Alvarado. “Who enjoys the outdoors and really works in a capacity to protect and preserve the outdoors as a part of their passion. I think that it’s a great honor to say to someone, ‘You remind me of Halie.'”

For Jacob, the scholarship gives his family a chance to remember his sister with every recipient.

“The fact that my family and I have an opportunity to work with a student every year from outdoor adventure,” Jacob said. “And get to talk about my sister is important to us. I definitely felt the void in my life of not being a big brother anymore. And in a sense, this gives me the opportunity, at least in a small way, to have that role just for a moment.”

The campaign must raise $25,000 to make the fund a permanent scholarship. On Sunday, it reached over 64% of its goal.