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Family, friends gather to remember Judy Malinowski one year after death

The daughter of Judy Malinowski planned a special candlelight vigil for her mother one year after her passing.

The daughter of Judy Malinowski planned a special candlelight vigil for her mother one year after her passing.

Family and friends gathered inside Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens next to Malinowski's marker, Wednesday evening.

They gathered to remember her fight, her journey and her legacy.

"I thought this was a special way to remember my mom," Kaylyn Malinowski said.

Kaylyn Malinowski is older than her age. The 14-year-old says the last year without her mother has made her grow up quicker.

It's been one year since her mother passed. The 700 days before that Judy spent in the hospital after her ex-boyfriend, Michael Slager, set her on fire.

"It's been rough, the reality," she said. "Waking up to the reality every morning, realizing that she's not here is really rough."

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Malinowski says she put on the vigil to help take stress off her grandmother, Judy's mom. She also did it because she wants people to remember the special person behind the stories.

More than a dozen people at the cemetery helped the family celebrate Judy's life.

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"It's really special because it shows how much people cared about her," Kaylyn said.

As for the man accused of killing her mother by those burns, Kaylyn says she doesn't think about him much, but she's hopeful for justice.

"If he's willing to take somebody's life, he needs to kind of know how that feels," she said.

Slager is scheduled to be in court next week. The jury selection for his murder trial is set to begin Friday, July 6.

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