It's not easy building a legacy, let alone leaving one, by age 23.

Sarah Kasunic, formerly of Jefferson Township, died Saturday as a result of a car accident in Knoxville, Tenn., where she was working as a traveling nurse.

Julie Kasunic, Sarah's youngest sister, said she saw her sister's work ethic and compassion when she lived with her last summer.

“She was facing death every day and seeing horrendous things, but when she talked about it, she showed great compassion,” Julie Kasunic said.

Michael Kasunic, Sarah's second-oldest brother, said his sister's work mentality shaped the way he sees his own future in the medical field.

“She didn't see them as patients. She saw them as people,” Michael Kasunic said. “I have always been inspired by her. A lot of people don't think you can look up to a younger sibling, but I did.”

Martina Holland, a nurse manager at Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center in Knoxville, said many in the field have reached out about Sarah.

She said Sarah's strength helped guide her through even the toughest challenges, and she was a talented nurse with even greater potential.

“Whatever I had, she took it. She took care of her patients as if they were her own family,” Holland said. “I've been in management for a long time. I've been at this unit for two years. Out of all the travelers we have, she's probably been the biggest blessing.”

Nicholas Kasunic, Sarah's oldest brother, said his sister was kind and giving outside hospital walls, too. He said her last act of kindness, her last gift, was as an organ donor. He said the family unanimously agreed to her wish to give life to others.

“It was a very challenging decision to make, but we would encourage people to do that and to have the courage to do that,” he said.

Tom Kasunic, Sarah's father, said the donation was especially hard for him.

“I wanted to be there when she took her last breath, and you can't do that with an organ transplant. It was very hard to give that away,” Tom Kasunic said. “They told us 10 or 11 people would benefit from this. Her heart is now in a 10-year-old-girl from Michigan.”

Tom Kasunic said his daughter also thought of people's futures beyond a medical nature. About a month ago, he said, Sarah told him she had set up a fund that would help Butler County Community College's Phi Theta Kappa, a fraternity of which she was once president, so members could attend the national convention.

He said she also was starting a scholarship fund that would help BC3 nursing students with financial needs. He said the family plans to follow through with what she started.

“So many people told us that she changed their lives,” Tom Kasunic said. “Some people referred to her as an angel.”

Margaret Kasunic, Sarah's mother, said her daughter lived her life like a person who cherished every moment. She said Sarah loved the outdoors, especially hiking, and her daughter liked to experience things like riding motorcycles and skydiving, once.

“She was fearless,” Margaret Kasunic said. “She was willing to go anywhere.”

Margaret Kasunic said her daughter also loved to travel to take in the world. She said Sarah had been to multiple countries in Europe and Asia, but one trip that had the biggest impact on her was when she traveled to China in 2017. Sarah spent time around a college in China, where she forged relationships by crossing language barriers.

Mofei Kasunic, Nicholas Kasunic's wife, said her sister-in-law was an inspiration to many, including to students in China who flocked to her personality. Mofei Kasunic said Sarah inspired her too.

“I saw the girl power from her,” she said. “She was a very confident person and brave in the way she explored the world.”

Karla Groy, Sarah's oldest sister, said her sister reached out to many people in the world, but she never forgot about her home and her family.

To Groy, those memories involve the way Sarah spent time with her sons during their visit. She said Sarah loved children, but she made her nieces and nephews feel special.

“She was very loving and very patient and very attentive to them from the time they were born,” Groy said. “She always made time to make the trip and come stay at our house and completely pay attention to being in the moment with us.”

Paul Kasunic, Sarah's brother, said his sister had a way of making an impact on people in a manner that ensures her legacy. He said many people have responded to her death on Facebook. He said people whose lives Sarah even remotely touched felt the loss.

He said many people have reached out to him, including people at St. Francis University, where he attends. He said a Mass will be held at noon Wednesday on campus in his sister's honor. He and other family members plan to attend.

“The support we've been shown has been tremendous,” Paul Kasunic said. “All the friends that she made, they never forgot her.”

Julie Kasunic said her sister would want to help people beyond her life. She said two of her sister's favorite books were “A Personality Plus: How to Understand Others by Understanding Yourself” by Florence Littauer; and Rick Warren's best-seller “The Purpose Driven Life,” a text Sarah was finishing at the time of her death.

“Sarah was always encouraging others to read and loved sharing her favorite books with others,” Julie Kasunic said.

An obituary appears on Page 7.