CALEDONIA, Mich. — Family and friends of a Caledonia teenager recently killed in a car crash held a memorial in his honor on Sunday.
Elijah Holt, 18, died last week while he drove southbound on US-131 in Solon Township, near Cedar Springs. Michigan State Police say his car went off the road and hit a tree. It’s unknown what caused him to veer.
READ MORE: MSP responds to fatal US-131 crash in Kent County
“He knew how to make everyone around him better,” said Ryel Daye, Elijah’s older cousin. “He just loved to make people smile and laugh. He was goofy. He wanted to make the world a better place.”
According to Daye, Holt’s death comes just weeks after his father got caught in the middle of a tornado while he drove back from another son’s football game. Family says it threw his vehicle into a median, and he remains in the hospital with multiple injuries.
“I think it just makes you realize how fragile life is,” said Daye. “With Elijah and my uncle, just everything in last 17 days, to make you realize how different your world can be 17 days from now, and no matter what our plans are, we don't know what God's plans are.”
Holt was the oldest of four kids, and graduated from Caledonia Community Schools in May. He played basketball and football for the Scots.
Daye says he will forever cherish when the two of them house sat this past summer while their families went out of town.
“He had to work and I was working, so we both stayed back,” said Daye. “We just went night swimming and played basketball. He's the reason I am where I am in basketball because he just pushed me.”
Daye hopes people carry on Holt’s memory.
“You have to live every day to the fullest and tell your people and family and friends you love them,” said Daye. “We have to stay reliant that God does have a plan and we may not know what the plan is nor like the plan, but all of it happened for a reason and we just had to live how Elijah wants to live: go make someone smile.”
A GoFundMe has been started for the Holt family. Click here to donate.
