Family and friends are remembering Eliza Morales, known to loved ones as “Nicky,” as a devoted mother, advocate, and source of light whose life was violently cut short inside her Downers Grove home.

Morales, 30, was pregnant with her second daughter and home alone cooking dinner on Jan. 26 when she answered a knock at the door. According to investigators, the person at the door had responded to an online advertisement for a pickup truck posted by her husband, Gabriel Morales. What followed was a brutal attack that claimed the lives of both Morales and her unborn child.

Authorities say Morales tried to fight back. “She fought for her life,” her mother-in-law Angelica Silva said at a candlelight vigil, her voice breaking as mourners gathered to honor the expectant mother.

Morales’ family describes her as someone whose life revolved around love and service. She worked at Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, where she cared deeply for vulnerable patients and families. Outside of work, she was an outspoken advocate for women’s rights and for people affected by war, famine, and domestic violence.

“She was motivated by family, driven by loyalty, and guided by a heart that was truly selfless,” wrote Moses Morales, who organized a GoFundMe to support the family. “Her loss is a pain that sits deep within all of us, but her presence remains in every memory.”

Morales grew up in the Chicagoland area and loved the outdoors, especially hiking with her two dogs. Friends describe her as vibrant, passionate, and fearless — someone who stood up for others and made people feel safe.

Her husband, Gabriel, was at work when he received the call that his wife and unborn child had been killed. Speaking through grief, he told ABC7 Chicago he would “spend the rest of my life missing her,” and said he would try to live in a way that honors her for the sake of their 2-year-old daughter.

A fundraiser established in Morales’ memory has raised more than $150,000 to help with immediate needs such as housing, clothing, and care for her surviving child — a reflection of the wide community touched by her life.

Meanwhile, the teenager accused in the attack, Nedas Revuckas, remains in custody facing multiple felony charges, including first-degree murder. Authorities say he was recently returned to jail after being hospitalized for an apparent suicide attempt and is due back in court on Feb. 18.

For Morales’ family, however, the legal process is secondary to the devastating absence she leaves behind.

“You get angry, then you get sad, then angry again,” Silva said. “It’s a rollercoaster.”