Former Aberdeen, Raymond woman's daughter killed in Colo. remembered for kindness, laughter
A mother's heart cannot hurt more than after losing a child.
So imagine the heartache of Raymond native and former Aberdeen resident Christy Erickson Schuett. Her 18-year-old daughter, Emily, died and 17-year-old daughter, Teri, would have died if not for the life-saving effort of a first responder in a crash that left three Colorado teens dead.
But instead of mourn, the Fort Collins, Colo., mother of four children said she is comforted by the ‘’everyday’’ before the crash when five teens were wrapping up a summer of fun on a country road east of Fort Collins.
"I don’t mourn the past because we lived everyday like it was the last,'' Christy said. "We hugged each day and told each other ‘we love you.’ And every night I would give them a kiss on the forehead before they went to bed.''
That daily ritual changed just after midnight on Aug. 10.
Christy said her partner, Janae Adams, woke her up to tell her Emily and Teri were out past curfew. She called her daughters’ cellphones and left voice and text messages. But there was no answer. Then she checked an app on her phone that alerts her when blood sugar levels are dangerously low for Emily, who had Type I diabetes.
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The app showed Emily’s cellphone along a country road. She knew Emily could be in danger if she didn’t reach her soon. Then she looked on her Find Your Phone cellphone option and drove to the location identified.
Just east of the intersection of Weld County roads 88 and 13, she was met with emergency lights, and her heart sank.
"I knew something horrific happened,'' she said. "They wouldn’t let me close to the vehicles. They told me two boys were taken by ambulance and one girl by helicopter and that one boy and one girl 'were not going to be leaving the scene.' 'I knew then one of my girls didn’t make it.''
Christy drove to Northern Colorado Medical Center in Greeley, where she was told Teri was being treated for significant injuries.
"I knew then it was Emily who didn’t make it,'' Christy said.
Driver of the 2004 Dodge pickup Tyler Mitchell died at the scene, and passenger Jesse Garcia died several days later from his injuries. Both were 2022 Poudre High School graduates. Another occupant was treated for his injuries and is recovering.
The Colorado State Patrol continues to investigate the crash. Preliminary reports indicate speed may have been a factor, alcohol and drugs were not a factor.
'What I do mourn is the things that won’t be'
Aug. 15 was to be a special day for Emily.
Still lying on her bedroom floor are the shower shoes, bedding, school clothes and other items she meticulously planned to take to her dorm room at Colorado State University. Along with those items were knickknacks she made and bought and was preparing to give to friends as they went their separate ways after a summer of fun.
Christy said the knickknacks are a reminder of how thoughtful and kind her daughter was and how grateful she was for that.
That theme was echoed at a Aug. 19 vigil at Colorado Early Colleges in Fort Collins, where Emily had graduated the year before and Teri is a senior this year. Both played soccer at Poudre High School after the family moved to Fort Collins from Aberdeen four years ago.
Speakers told of Emily’s kindness and beautiful soul; her distinctive giggle, usually a response from something Teri said; laughing so hard at Chick’nCone they couldn’t breathe and as the brains behind TikTok videos. They talked of fun times on bus rides, at soccer games, while paddle boarding at Horsetooth Reservoir and playing Uno games at lunch.
And they made a vow: “Emily, we promise we will take good care of your sister and have her back through all of her recovery.’’
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Christy said Teri was brought back to life by an emergency medical technician. She said her daughter endured seven hours of surgery to repair two broken hips and broken bones in both shoulders and other injuries that will require significant rehabilitation. She added that Teri did not suffer brain or spinal cord injuries and she expects her daughter to make a full recovery.
This, after what Christy described as the best summer of her daughters' lives: spending time with friends, going to the drive-in, camping, playing at Horsetooth Reservoir and driving around.
She said Emily's special place was driving around, especially in the rain, while listening to music. While her daughter did not survive the crash, her cellphone did.
Christy has been listening to Emily’s cellphone playlist to heal a hurting heart. One of the playlists is titled “Hugs from Mom.’’
“What I do mourn is the things that won’t be,’’ Christy said.
A celebration of Emily's life is set for Sept. 9 in Fort Collins.
GoFundMe account started to help family
A GoFundMe site has been set up to help the Schuett family with medical and funeral expenses. You can find the site at https://www.gofundme.com/f/schuett-family.
This article originally appeared on Aberdeen News: Christy Erickson Schuett's daughter dies in Colorado wreck
