WHEATFIELD, N.Y. — The death of 2-year-old Raelynn, from Wheatfield, is spurring her family to do the unimaginable and turn their heartache into action.
Described as a lover of Minnie Mouse and trampolines, Raelynn died after a crash at the intersection of Sy Road and Niagara Falls Boulevard on May 24.
The Niagara County Sheriff’s Office said her mother’s car was hit by a vehicle heading south on Sy Road and crashed into a utility pole. The driver of the other vehicle was issued a traffic ticket for failing to yield the right of way.
Raelynn’s dad, Cody Huber, and the rest of the family now want to make sure no one else feels the same pain.
They’re seeking to improve traffic safety at what they describe as a “dangerous” and “blind” intersection.
“At the end of the day if someone else is in our situation you know losing their daughter to carelessness helps benefit other families in the long run,” Huber said.
Huber told 2 On Your Side that his mother-in-law Bernadette Smith was the real force behind orchestrating their appeal for action. Smith described her granddaughter as “a beautiful soul” who was “so happy and joyous.”
“You know we have a hole in our family and in our heart that can never ever be replaced or refilled,” Smith said.
The family has recruited State Senator Robert Ortt and Assemblyman Angello Morinello to support their cause. The two lawmakers sent a request for a traffic study to the New York State DOT and Friday night Ortt said it is ongoing.
“Anytime someone loses their life in a vehicular accident you want to look at the circumstances… but I think when it's a child it affects you so much more,” Ortt said.
While a memorial at the corner of Sy Road and Niagara Falls Boulevard serves as a current reminder to drivers, Raelynn’s family wants to see a traffic light installed. Ortt agrees and added with the 45 mph speed limit on NF Blvd and difficult sight lines from Sy Road, some traffic safety measure is needed.
While ultimately the New York State DOT will have the final say, Raelynn’s grandmother Bernadette Smith is determined to keep fighting.
“We’re committed and 100% focused and will not stop until we’re able to ensure other folks will not have to deal with something like this,” Smith said.
Parallel to their fight for traffic improvements at the intersection of Raelynn’s death, her family is also pushing Governor Hochul to sign a bill known as the “Grieving Families Act.”
The bill was passed by the state legislature last session and would expand which families can sue for wrongful death in civil court. Currently, families are only able to recover funeral costs and lost wages – which do not apply to a child.