There were hugs, tears, and even some laughter at the calling hours for Alexandra Kogut Wednesday evening. As YNN's Cara Thomas tells us, hundreds of people came to pay their respects to her family and remember the life of the young woman they've tragically lost.

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NEW HARTFORD, N.Y. -- Alexandra Kogut was from New Hartford and had just graduated a few months ago. Her friends and teammates smiled as they reflected on those high school memories they say they’ll never forget.

Maggie Talaricom, a friend of Alexandra's, said, "She was probably one of the most positive, outgoing, loving, caring people I've ever met. No matter how hard a swim practice was she was yelling at us to keep going. Like cheering for us to keep going."

"She one of those people that you could be having the most ugly day of your life and she'd be like you look great, you really look so good," said Ashley Shanatry, a life-long friend.

It was just a few weeks ago that Alexandra was off to college. Ready to start a new phase of her life, when it ended in a way family and friends say they still can’t wrap their heads around. Police say Alexandra was killed by her boyfriend in her dorm room at College at Brockport.

James Capecelatro says, "To have a friend taken from us like that is even worse."

Looking down the never-ending line of mourners, many shades of purple stood out, the color for domestic violence and a color friends say Alexandra adored. And it wasn't just family and friends from the New Hartford area at the calling hours, two bus-loads of College at Brockport students also paid their respects.

Todd Owens, was a high school and college friend of Alexandra's. He said, "She was one of those girls you know a lot of people change when they go to college and she didn't change. She was happy as always. You know she was probably one of the nicest people there."

But as people mourn the loss of a beautiful woman, they say even her death is having a positive impact on their community.

Shanatry said, "She's really bringing our community together and it means a lot and she, I don't know, just shows that such a small town can really come together for such a tragedy."