Memorial hockey games commemorate teen killed in horrific crash in north Chicago suburbs
GLENVIEW, Ill. (CBS) -- A community came together at an ice rink in north suburban Glenview Tuesday night, in memory of a life taken too soon.
Marko Niketic, 17, was killed in a car crash last spring. On Tuesday night at the Glenview Community Ice Center, 1851 Landwehr Rd., those who knew and still love and remember Marko gathered for two memorial hockey games.
"It's honestly so overwhelming," said Marko's mom, Gordana Niketic.
Ms. Niketic broke her silence six months after losing her baby boy.
"So the last couple of months to me feel like it's just been days," she said.
Around 8 p.m. on Mother's Day, May 12, Marko and his girlfriend, Ella Schriber, when they were hit by an alleged drunken driver at Lake Avenue and Meadow Lane in Glenview. The car spilt in two, and Marko died.
He was a senior at Glenbrook South High School.
"Every day, we drive the same road. We see it every day. That's how we get in our home and out," said Ms. Niketick. "It's very difficult."
Taeyoung Kim of Northbrook stands charged with two counts of aggravated driving under the influence, causing death and great bodily harm, reckless homicide, and other drunken driving counts and traffic violations in the crash. Prosecutors said he was traveling over 130 mph just before the crash, and 122 mph at the time of impact.
Ella survived the crash, and stood with his family remembering her late boyfriend Tuesday night.
But Ellia is still too heartbroken to say a word about the love she lost.
"We lost a very, very, very special human being in Marko," said Ella's dad, Louis Schriber, "As you can see from all the support around him, it's just a young man that is one of the special ones."
On Tuesday night, Marko's light shined on the ice with two charity hockey games from Glenbrook South. The puck drop was dedicated to Marko.
"Marko was not a part of hockey, but loved by everyone," said Ms. Niketic.
On the ice for the puck drop were Marko's love, Ella, and his brother, Luka.
"Bittersweet, right? We'd rather be here celebrating it with him," said Mr. Schriber. "But to see the impact he had in his 17 years, and to see this community, and for us to be together."
The community came together to donate every goal scored to the Marko Niketic Foundation as the family continues its fight against drunken driving.
"We definitely do want justice, and if we can't get what we want, we want to make sure that this hopefully doesn't happen to anyone else," said Ms. Niketic.
The Marko Niketic Foundation, founded by Ms. Niketic, is meant to help youth heal and bring mental health services. Ms. Niketic said she has been talking with Glenbrook Youth Services about those objectives.
The foundation was honored Tuesday night with a generous $5,000 donation from the Glenbrook South family. They were also set to get the proceeds from all the goals scored Tuesday night.
Ultimately, the main point was the message to those in attendance about reckless driving.
Meanwhile, a memorial for Marko will be set up in Cole Park, where the community can come and remember him.
