Massachusetts parents push for safe roads, youth programs after daughter’s tragic death

Mary Beth Ellis misses her daughter Sidney Mae Olson a young girl who exposed elation in the small things flowers rainbows books art and being an operational part of the society Ellis remembers Sidney picking out the perfect flower to bring to her father s desk on May Just a day later Sidney died at age when the driver of a tractor-trailer struck and killed the girl who had a full life ahead of her at a busy downtown intersection in Andover Sidney and a family member had been overcoming a crosswalk on their way to art class and the walk sign exhibited that it was still safe to cross Friday marked two years since the tragedy and Ellis will celebrate her second Mother s Day without Sidney on Sunday She and her husband Eric Olson are on a mission to honor their daughter s legacy The hardest for me is that every day takes us further away from the days with Sid It is so bittersweet Ellis explained the Herald on Saturday at an Andover recreation complex where she and her husband hope will someday feature a bike park in Sidney s name with a kid-friendly pump track and mountain bike skills area in partnership with the town As a parent I still love to talk about her Ellis added bring up the good memories think about all of the fun times we had together as a family The -year-old mother a former professional endurance athlete who ranked among the world s best in the Ironman pointed out how she and her husband have set up a free library in front of their home in Sidney s honor Their efforts in carrying out their daughter s ongoing and community-focused spirit have been far-reaching through Sidney s Rainbows a fund that promotes their work Ellis and her husband are continuing a campaign dubbed Freedom to Move which has two sides advocating for tool that makes roads and vehicles safer for all people and opening access to safe sessions for children What we have learned along the way is that the technologies that could have saved Sid s life and can save a lot more lives and create safer communities exist Eric Olson narrated the Herald Immediate advocacy efforts led to a slew of road safety improvements in the Merrimack Valley town including changing the traffic signals at the intersection where Sidney was killed to an unique pedestrian phase That means traffic is stopped in all directions when the walk signs are on At the time of the tragedy vehicles were allowed to turn across a crosswalk while a walk sign was showing Olson traveled to Washington D C last May for an advocacy event with the National Safety Council pushing for policies and measures to make roadways across the nation safer The opportunity he disclosed opened his eyes to how innovation is the only way to change roadway behavior Olson is closely following bill that Gov Maura Healey included in her budget proposal for fiscal year which contains provisions to legalize the use of automated speed enforcement cameras across Massachusetts He explained the equipment in other states has decreased fatalities An assessment into the crash that killed Sidney identified the driver not at fault Essex County District Attorney Paul Tucker disclosed in November The driver did not face any criminal charges The study detected that the driver stopped at the intersection and did not see Sidney traveling on her scooter in the crosswalk below Sidney s Rainbows is also partnering with the national group Families for Safe Streets in creating a state chapter that would provide materials and the opportunity for families affected by roadway tragedies to advocate for safer streets Ellis the fund s executive director continues to lead Sidney s Rainbow Runners a undertaking inspired by her daughter s love of running and the outdoors Kids ages - have discovered their own passion for the things that made Sidney smile her parents declared This summer the fund is hosting track races for all society members Eric Olson remembers the day before Sidney s death when his daughter was excited to release butterflies that her class had been hatching She d come home from school he recounted of Sidney and she had this little phrase she d say You will think this is crazy but and it was perpetually these little things like the butterflies hatched As the husband and wife reflected on their daughter s life and carrying out her legacy their -year-old son Ellis played in the rain splashing into puddles finding happiness in the small things just like his older sister did One of my fondest memories is that we would be in our room across the hall just hearing them talk after we put them to be Mary Beth Ellis announced There s nothing like watching your kids bond and play She s still a part of our lives the mother added and I think forever she s going to be a huge part of our lives Courtesy Olson familySidney Mae Olson died after a driver of a tractor-trailer hit and killed her in a downtown Andover crosswalk The -year-old girl was on her way to art class with her family Courtesy Olson family Sidney Mae Olson on her fifth birthday Courtesy Olson family