Annalee Wright’s family says her love for her children will never be forgotten.

Wright, 36, died from her injuries after being struck by a vehicle while she crossed the street with two of her children last week, according to her family.

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“Annalee was a force not to be reckoned with,” said her sister, Marian Wright. “She was very protective of her children.”

Loved ones say the family got off a bus and crossed at West Lake Street and Blaisdell Avenue in south Minneapolis when a vehicle crashed into them.

“My sister saw the car coming, pushed my niece and nephew — her kids out of the way — ultimately that was her demise, the car hit her, ending her life,” said Billy Wright, the victim’s brother. “That says it all, that’s who my sister is, she has the biggest heart, the biggest heart you could imagine.”

Minneapolis Police said the driver was alone in the vehicle and remained at the scene as they investigated last Friday evening at around 7:15 p.m.

According to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, the 23-year-old man didn’t have a driver’s license, only an instruction permit, and should have had a licensed driver with him while he drove.

The family says Annalee’s two children — ages 14 and 6 — suffered injuries that required treatment but they survived the crash thanks to their mother’s act. However, Wright later died from her injuries at the hospital.

“That’s who she always has been, that’s who she’ll always be. She’s a hero,” said Billy Wright.

The family is now trying to make plans to help raise her children, and a fundraising page has been set up to assist.

At last check, Minneapolis police continue to investigate the crash.