13-05-2025
North suburban Chicago teen honored one year after crash took his life
A north suburban Chicago teenager should be finishing his first year of college, but instead, he was remembered Monday night — one year after he died in a violent crash.
The other driver was arrested and charged with driving under the influence.
The memorial service for Marko Niketic was held at Cole Park in Glenview, just blocks from the crash scene. A permanent garden will soon be dedicated in Marko's honor.
Around 8 p.m. on Mother's Day, May 12, 2024, the 17-year-old 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 and weeks away from graduating.
On the busy stretch of road where it happened, reminders of Marko are everywhere.
"Being here is still surreal. It'll never be real to me as long as I'm breathing, and I will never be over it," said Marko's mother, Gordana Niketic.
Family and friends came back a year later with his picture proudly worn on their T-shirts — as flowers piled up in his honor.
"Look at all the photos and stuff, and see all the things that are still here a year later. It's just, it's really beautiful," said Marko's friend, Jordyn Matles, "and I can still like hear his laugh and his voice just by like looking at some of the photos."
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 that killed Marko. Prosecutors said he was traveling over 130 mph just before the crash, and 122 mph at the time of impact.
Part of the picket fence along the road where the crash happened had to be rebuilt, and it shows.
"You can see it's the different shade of the fence — really shows like how intense the actual crash was," Matles said, "but to be here with everyone really just represents who Marko was a as person."
"Life is so valuable and so short, and so you have to everything while you can," said Marko's friend, Cassidy Collins, "and to be very careful, and think about your actions more."
While time has passed, Marko Niketic's family is comforted by the young adults who have vowed to keep his memory alive.
"Usually, people shut down. Usually, people just chose to forget about it," said Marko's brother, Luka Niketic. "But instead, everybody wants to support, and make Marko's name like really just live on forever."
"I'm really at a loss for words at how these young kids act so like empathic," added Gordana Niketick. "It's amazing. They literally don't leave my side at all."
The driver who was arrested remained in custody late Monday, and will be back in court in July.
Marko's family hopes the garden in his honor at Cole Park will be open by the summer.
