The Forest Hills Eastern community is mourning the death of Luke Kooistra, 17, a rising high school senior who was killed in an off-road vehicle crash in Oceana County just days before the start of the new school year.
According to the Oceana County Sheriff’s Office, Luke was riding in a side-by-side with five other people after midnight on August 23, 2026, when the off-road vehicle rolled over on private property. Luke was the only person injured in the crash and was pronounced dead at the scene by first responders.
Luke was a student at Forest Hills Eastern High School and had been preparing to begin his senior year. His unexpected death has left classmates, teachers, coaches and the wider school community struggling to process the loss of a young person who was looking forward to another year with his friends and teammates.
School officials remembered Luke as a proud member of the Forest Hills Eastern community, describing him as someone known for his kindness, warmth and ability to make people around him feel welcome. He was also recognized as a leader among his peers.
Luke was a member of the school’s lacrosse team, where he formed connections with teammates and became part of the wider athletic community. The Forest Hills Eastern athletics program paid tribute to him following his death, with the community adopting the phrase “Forever a Hawk” in his memory.
His death also prompted changes at the school as administrators made counselors and social workers available to students. School leaders encouraged students to support one another while giving them space to grieve the loss of their classmate.
Authorities have continued investigating the crash. The driver of the side-by-side, an 18-year-old from Ada, was arrested on a charge of operating while intoxicated causing death, according to reporting from FOX 17.
The investigation and resulting legal proceedings remain separate from Luke’s memory as a student, teammate and friend. For those who knew him, his life is being remembered for the personality and kindness he brought to the people around him.
Luke’s death came just days before he was expected to begin his final year of high school, making the loss particularly painful for a community preparing to welcome its seniors back to campus.
Family, friends, classmates, teachers and coaches are now left with memories of a young man whose life ended far too soon. His presence at Forest Hills Eastern, on the lacrosse field and among his friends will be deeply missed.
As the school community mourns, Luke Kooistra’s legacy will remain part of the Forest Hills Eastern family — Forever a Hawk.
