Jennifer Tripucka 
What should have been a celebratory weekend for local business owner Alyza Brevard-Rodriguez turned into a life-altering accident that left her facing months of rehab and recovery.
Alyza, who is the former creator of SW3AT Wellness and founder of The Other Side Dispensary, a cannabis dispensary and lounge in Jersey City Heights, was struck by a speeding car while with her son, Enzo.
View this post on Instagram
According to Brevard-Rodriguez, the vehicle narrowly missed her son by inches before hitting her and throwing her several feet into the air. She sustained multiple fractures to her right leg and foot, face scratches and cuts, and is now stabilized by rods and plates.
“By the grace of God, my son was spared. I took the hit instead — and that miracle keeps me going,” she shared on her Go Fund Me.
Brevard-Rodriguez is well known in Jersey City for her work in both public service and entrepreneurship. A Navy veteran and former MTA employee, she transitioned into the cannabis industry after discovering its potential for healing while recovering from an earlier injury. Brevard-Rodriguez and her wife, Mia (a Hoboken BNR) have a young son and daughter.
View this post on Instagram
In 2022, she founded The Other Side Dispensary, a venture she says represents community, equity, and purpose. The dispensary took nearly three years and over $1.3 million to open, and Brevard-Rodriguez continued to operate without taking a salary, prioritizing paying her employees and keeping the business open.
She describes her businesses as “a labor of love,” and has shared publicly how many challenges, regulatory hurdles, and high operating costs have affected her and her company. Opened in October 2024, The Other Side Dispensary operates in Jersey City and is recognized as a minority-owned and locally operated business dedicated to cannabis education, wellness, and social equity.
“We finally made it through our first year,” she said. “We created jobs, built community, and were just starting to see a turnaround,” she explained on her social media.
The accident happened to the day of the 1-year anniversary of TOSD in The Heights.
“I’ve worked in combat zones, served in public service, and built a business from the ground up,” she said. “But the hardest lesson I’m learning now is how to ask for help.”
To assist with mounting medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, and temporary household needs, Brevard-Rodriguez has launched a fundraiser titled “Help Alyza Walk Again,” in which she has to relearn how to walk due to the surgeries and injuries she has sustained.
Funds raised will go toward:
– Medical and rehabilitation expenses
– Accessibility and mobility upgrades for her home
– Transportation while she is unable to drive
– Temporary childcare and household support
– Basic living costs during recovery
“If my story or my work has ever inspired you, please help us through this moment,” she wrote in her appeal. “Every contribution helps me heal and rebuild.”
The Go Fund Me link can be found here.
