Mom of hospitalized teen visits other couple hurt in Granby crash

FULTON, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — Fred and Sharyn Strickland were visiting Central New York to celebrate one grandchild’s birthday and another’s baptism.

“I just spoke to her and she was saying that we had such a great weekend together, that she doesn’t understand why it had to end like this,” said the couple’s daughter-in-law, Krista Strickland.

Driving back to the hotel, Fred Strickland swerved but was unable to avoid the SUV driven by 17-year-old Rylee Bartlett as it went off Route 48 in the Town of Granby.

Early on, Sheriff’s Deputies in Oswego County said the couple would survive their “non-life threatening” injuries, but the status underrepresents their serious injuries.

“My father-in-law was trying to brake as hard as he possibly could,” said Krista. “He actually broke every bone in that leg.”

“He was the healthiest man I knew before this and now everyday there’s something coming up where he’s not doing well,” she added.

Fred now needs an oxygen mask for low blood pressure.

His wife, Sharyn, also has broken bones and is having trouble with speech and memory.

Both are balancing their healing with a complicated balance of grief and gratitude. 

In a noble but heartbreaking thought, the grandfather said he wished he didn’t make it, if it saved a younger life.

“They’ve seen all five of their grandchildren be born, they saw my daughter be baptized, they’ve experienced all of these events we hope to experience, and unfortunately, Rylee will never get to those things, he was coming from that place, it would have made more sense if he were the one to pass,” his daughter-in-law explained.

He got to share a similar sentiment with Brady’s mom, Heather Nivers, who visited the Strickland’s in the hospital.

“To express their mutual thoughts and prayers for one another. We’re still hoping and praying very hard, for Brady,” said Krista Strickland.

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