Jaidyn Ryan’s family said he was just out grabbing some food at the local McDonald’s when his life came to a sudden and tragic end.
“I go to work every day and I work in Okeechobee…and I had to go by the accident scene with those two young girls,” says Jaidyn’s Grandmother Carol-Ann Ryan. “I was thinking 'man, the poor family.' And now I'm feeling how that poor family is feeling. And it's not good. It's not good at all.”
Seeing the loss of those teenagers in a wrong way crash two weeks ago hurt, but Carol Ann Ryan and her family are now living that loss and feeling that anguish.
“He was the love of the family's life. He was such a happy kid who didn't deserve this,” she says.
Jaidyn was crossing US-1 near Indian Street in Stuart last Monday night when he was struck and killed by a van.
Peter Friedman operates Stuart Scuba along US-1.
“US-1 has really gotten very busy, particularly in the winter months,” he says.
He's seen a lot of bikers and pedestrians try to make it across the busy road.
“I've seen a lot of times where they will just cut across in front of oncoming traffic...which is a problem.”
It's not clear if Jaidyn was using the crosswalk to make it across the busy highway.
Even still, his grandmother wants to see a more pedestrian-friendly US-1.
“More red lights, more crosswalks...where people know that…they have to slow down because there are people crossing the street.”
The family has started a Go Fund Me page to help with Jaidyn’s funeral expenses.