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Sydnee Stoke: Dad pays heartbreaking tribute to 12-yr-old daughter who died after being hit by SUV

Sydnee Claire Stokes was rushed to the Winston County Medical Center but succumbed to her injuries

LOUISVILLE, MISSISSIPPI: A 12-year-old girl died after being hit by an SUV in Mississippi. Sydnee Claire Stokes was struck by an SUV near a mailbox in the Louisville region on Tuesday, February 21, according to Louisville Police Chief Sean Holdiness. Sydnee was rushed to the Winston County Medical Center but succumbed to her injuries. The girl's father shared a heartfelt message following the tragic death of his beloved daughter writing "You are dancing in heaven tonight. I’m so jealous."

“I don’t know why you had to leave this earthly body so soon, but everyone has their purpose in life. Sydnee Claire apparently you had used your time up. You are dancing in heaven tonight. I’m so jealous,” he wrote on his Facebook page. “You will always be my #1. You were loved [by] everyone and had an unforgettable personality. This is something no parent is supposed to go through. The calls and messages have meant so much, please forgive me if I don’t respond,” he added in the message. 

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'You would light up any room'

"My precious sydnee girl my sassy, beautiful, loud, happy little shadow for so many years.. you would light up any room you walked in & 11 years just wasn’t enough.. all the spend the night parties, summers, and mama mel trying to teach us how to cook & bake,” Diane Richardson, a family friend, shared a tribute. “you were so special to me & made an impact on everyone you met! your hugs made any day better & i’ll love you forever sweet girl,” she wrote. The Mississippi Highway Patrol has asked the assistance of accident reconstruction experts to help sift through the specifics. In the midst of his sorrow, Jay Stokes gave some advice.“Tell everyone to hug their kids often and tell them you love them every chance you get,” according to WLBT-TV.

Girls father extended his gratitude to the community

Stokes followed that up with another Facebook post to extend gratitude to the community for their overwhelming support, “I’m gonna tell you all a few things that are weighing on an old broken-hearted daddy. I have never in my life dreamed (not that I every wanted to dream about this) the tragedy of my little girl could have brought this County together,” he wrote. “At a time when society seems to be at the worst I have ever seen it in my short 41 years. I have always known I was loved and thought I felt what loved felt like. Let me tell you all I know now what it feels like now. I will not go into details in the wide open because you know who you are and I haven’t got a clue. I am forever grateful and don’t know how I deserve your kindness,” he wrote. “As far as grieving, I am still doing just that. But, I have found peace with all this tragedy. When Sydnee took her first breath, her Book of Life was written in stone. Did I want it to be only 11 years long, no. There is nothing on this earthly world that could change or extend it. So please keep your prayers and thoughts for our family coming strong,” he wrote.