Rylee Bartlett GoFundMe: Fundraiser raises over $45,000 as G. Ray Bodley High School student dies in car accident

Rylee Bartlett, a 17-year-old high school junior from G. Ray Bodley High School, died in a car crash on Sunday, April 30, 2023. The unfortunate incident that took place in Fulton, New York, around 5:35 pm left her boyfriend, 16-year-old Brady Niver, critically injured.

According to a press release by the Oswego County Sheriff’s Office, Bartlett was driving her mother's car heading north on Route 48 when her car entered the southbound lane and she collided with an oncoming vehicle. They added that the crash took place between Wybron and Wilcox roads in the town of Granby.

First responders pronounced the 17-year-old dead at the scene and rushed a gravely injured Niver to the Upstate Hospital. The driver and co-passenger of the other vehicle, a Chrysler Town and Country, were taken to Upstate Hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.

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Rylee Bartlett and Brady Nivers were just ten days away from attending their first prom

Bartlett was a member of the National Honors Society and also a part of the school's Varsity Girls' Lacrosse team. Those who knew her described her as a fierce girl who rarely smiled, but when she did, she lit up the room.

Rylee Bartlett hoped to become a hairstylist when she was older and had taken up a cosmetology program at Citi BOCES. She worked at Mimi's Drive-In as a waitress since she turned 16.

Bartlett and Nivers were dating since the seventh grade and were all set to attend their first prom. The 17-year-old had her dress picked out in a hot pink color with a matching dress for her beloved double doodle dog, Susie.

A GoFundMe page was started to support Rylee Bartlett's grieving family for assistance with funeral services. The fundraiser collected over $47,000.

A GoFundMe page was also started for Niver's family to support their everyday expenses like "gas, food, parking, & day-to-day living" so that the family can focus their expenses on their son's recovery. The fundraising efforts have collected over $50,000.

A banner was put up outside Mimi's Drive-in in support of the teenagers and their families (Image via Twitter/@StephShtoyko)

Raylee Bartlett is survived by her parents and three siblings.

Following the tragic incident, Fulton City School Superintendent Brian Pulvino relayed a message to the community announcing the crash and added that grief counselors and support would be available to students and staff at the high school. He stated:

"It is a devastating time for our community... It shows you the value of each and every day. My heart goes out to our families and students."

Law enforcement authorities told Syracuse News that the incident is under investigation. Niver's condition remained critical as of Monday, April 01, 2023.

A vigil was held in Rylee Bartlett's honor on Monday at the G Ray Bodley High School Gymnasium. The family requested that everyone wear pink in her honor as it was her favorite color.

Her funeral service is set for Friday, May 6, 2023, from 3:00 pm at the Foster Funeral Home near Cayuga Community College – Fulton Campus. Free shuttle service was provided by the Golden Sun bus service.