ANDOVER, Mass. — The parents of a 5-year-old girl who was struck and killed by a tractor-trailer in Andover earlier this week said Thursday that their beloved daughter was on her way to art class when her life was tragically brought to an end.
On Tuesday evening, Sidney Olson and another family member traversed the crosswalk on Elm Street with the “walk” sign showing, when she was struck by a Sysco truck, her family and authorities said.
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“As long-time residents of the neighborhood, we’ve followed that route hundreds of times before. The rest was a blur, and Sidney was struck by a truck and killed, leaving an impossible void in our lives,” her family said.
Sidney was in a springboard-to-kindergarten program at the SHED school, where she was known for her “soft-spoken curiosity, and her budding ability to de-escalate conflict and find common ground in groups,” according to her parents.
She also had a love for visiting the New England Aquarium to see the stingrays and octopus, roaming the mountains near their vacation home in Warren, Vermont, styling her daily outfits, making pieces of art, picking flowers, and showcasing her creative skills.
“She was fiercely creative, styling her own outfits, choreographing elaborate performances, and filling our home with her unique brand of abstract art, unlike anything we’ve seen. She picked flowers everywhere she went, often plucking a rose from the garden in front of Enterprise Bank, despite her parents’ objections. She memorized every lyric to a dozen Taylor Swift songs, gladly taking the microphone to sing along in crowded karaoke sessions,” her family added.
For her last birthday, Sidney wanted a rainbow theme because “it includes everyone’s favorite color,” her family said.
According to the Massachusetts State Police, the 5-year-old child was hit at 5:14 p.m. Tuesday, at the corner of Elm and Main Streets.
State police say Sidney was with her family and was riding a scooter. A Freightliner truck was stopped at the red light. When the truck moved, it struck her in the crosswalk.
Sidney’s family now hopes the town will take swift action to ensure tragedy doesn’t strike again.
“Our greatest hope is that Sidney’s boundless love for everyone encourages others to look out for the common good of our community following this tragedy, her parents said. “This intersection has long been considered dangerous. While we’re not engineers, we also know our community can do better. We hope the town makes fast changes to that and other high-traffic intersections so no one has to experience the pain we feel right now.”
The truck driver stayed on the scene, and there is no word yet if any charges will be filed in this case.
The crash remains under investigation.
Read the Olson family’s full statement below:
05-11-23 - Olson Family Statement by Fox Boston Staff on Scribd
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