LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Just one day after a deadly school bus crash took the life of 12-year-old Haylee Ryan, in the Northwest valley, family and friends set up a memorial to honor her.
“She’s as amazing girl and she will be missed," said Haylee's mom Meghan Ryan.
VIDEO: Ryan Ketcham talks to the mother of 12-year-old Haylee Ryan, who set up a memorial to honor her life
Meghan was one of many family and friends who returned to the site of Monday's deadly crash, sharing an emotional embrace.
“This is my core group that keep me going and keep me sane and always have me," said Ryan.
They also cried together and even joined in laughter remembering the best moments of Haylee's life.
“Her room would be clean, and then all of a sudden, she’s working on more art stuff; her room would never stay clean because she was always working on something. She never just wanted to sit around, she was always creating everything," said Ryan.
CCSD Superintendent Jhone Ebert saying Haylee loved cats, art and robotics at school.
Meghan tells me that Haylee was just riding her bike back home from school when the crash happened. She was a 7th grader at Leid Stem Academy.
Police say at 3:23 p.m. Monday, west of Leid Stem Academy, Haylee was riding westbound on Tropical Parkway.
They say a school bus was heading the same direction, then they collided, throwing her from the bike into a parked car.
Meghan got the call about her daughter's crash when she was at work.
I asked her what was going through her mind when she got the call.
“The worst case scenario, probably hyperventilating on the drive and praying that I didn’t pass out driving to UMC," said Ryan.
Her daughter was pronounced dead Tuesday morning.
“I just know that Haylee is with God right now and that’s the only thing keeping me going," said Ryan.
Haylee had three siblings, a 13-year-old brother, a 10-year-old sister and an 8-year-old brother.
Meghan tells me her family has gone through an emotional whirlwind this year.
“Since March, I got separated from my husband, my youngest son got diagnosed with brain cancer, my nephew got paralyzed, and now my daughter this month, so it’s just been a crazy few months," said Ryan.
Right now, the family is just asking for support in anyway possible. They even started this GoFundMe Page to help cover the cost of Haylee's funeral.
Meghan says she just hopes people remember her daugher and will continue to pray for them.
She says her church community and other friends have been there for her family, making meals and spending time to help in the mourning process.
"I wouldn't be here without that community, I would say community matters, they show up," said Ryan.