North Suburban Chicago Teen honored a year after the crash that took his life

A North suburban chicago teenager If his first college year ends, but instead he was reminded on Monday evening – a year after he died in a violent crash.

The other driver was arrested and accused of being driven under the influence.

The memorial service for Marko Niketic took place in the Cole Park in GlenView, only blocks from the crash scene. A permanent garden will soon be dedicated to Marko's honor.

Around 8 p.m. on Mother's Day, May 12, 2024, 17-year-old Marko and his girlfriend Ella Schriber when they were met by a suspected drunk driver in Lake Avenue and the Meadow Lane in Gllenview. The car buried in two parts and Marko died.

He was a senior at the Glenbrook South High School and weeks before the end.

On the busy street on which it happened, the memories of Marko are everywhere.

“Being here is still surreal. It will never be real for me as long as I breathe and I will never be over it,” said Marko's mother Gordana Niketic.

Family and friends came back with his picture a year later, which was proud to be worn on their T-shirts-as flowers in his honor.

“Take a look at all the photos and things and see all the things that are still here a year later. It's simple, it's really nice,” said Marko's friend Jordyn Matles, “and I can still laugh and hear his voice by looking at a few of the photos.”

Tayoung Kim from Northbrook Stands with two cases of severe journeys under the influence, death and large physical injury, ruthless murder and other drunk drive counts and traffic injuries in the accident in which Marko was killed. The prosecutors said that he was over 130 miles per hour shortly before the crash and 122 miles per hour at the time of impact.

Part of the stream post fence along the street on which the crash happened had to be rebuilt, and it turns out.

“You can see that it is the different shadow of the fence – really shows how intense the actual crash was,” said Matles, “but to be with everyone really only represents who was Marko as a person.”

“Life is so valuable and short, and so you have to do everything as long as you can,” said Marko's friend, Cassidy Collins, “and very careful and think more about your actions.”

While the time has passed, the family of Marko Niketic is comforted by the young adults who swore to keep their memory alive.

“Usually people closed. Usually people only decided to forget it,” said Marko's brother Luka Niketic. “But instead everyone wants to support and let Marko's names live on like really forever.”

“I'm really not in words how these little children behave so sensitively,” added Gordana Niketick. “It is amazing. You literally do not leave my page at all.”

The arrested driver, who was arrested, remained in custody in the late Monday and will be back to court in July.

Marko's family hopes that the garden will be open in his honor in Cole Park in summer.