23-year-old Matt Kerekes remembered for his smile and fun-loving personality

Meredith Kerekes misses her younger brother Matt’s smile and good-humored pranks.

The South Lyon senior planned to graduate in May, but died Saturday, presumably of a heart condition. He was 23.

Meredith said just before Christmas in 2007, Matt was involved in an accident when he was helping a friend’s dad at an automotive parts supply store. A shelf fell on top of him, which crushed his chest and heart, causing him to spend about 6 days in the hospital.

“We thought he was fully recovered,” Meredith said.

She said his mother found him unresponsive Saturday at the family’s home in South Lyon.

Brighton senior Ryan Rowe has known Matt since the sixth grade and will most miss his laugh and the pranks they played on each other.

“One time, I got into his house and unplugged everything, even unscrewed his light bulbs. He ended up calling the electric company thinking it was turned off,” Rowe said. “To get back at me, he got into my house and turned all my furniture upside down.”

Rowe said Matt’s fun-loving personality is what drew them together and why they became friends.

Meredith remembers being with her younger brother on a playground they use to have in their backyard. She said he was always smiling, very loyal and always wanted him to be around.

Matt’s older brother, Patrick, recalled a time he took Matt salmon fishing in the Manistee River last year.

“I finally got him to go fishing with me,” Patrick said. “It took him the whole time to catch one.  He didn’t get it until the last half hour we were there.”

Patrick said, as a kid, he and Matt would always go golfing with their dad, and Matt still had a love for golf as he got older. He graduated from South Lyon High School in 2004 after playing four years on the varsity golf team.

“Matt loved going to Central and he loved hanging out with his big group of friends,” Pat said.

Visitation will take place from 3 to 9 p.m. Thursday at Phillips Funeral Home, 122 W. Lake St. (Ten Mile Rd.) in South Lyon. A funeral mass will begin at 10:30 a.m. Friday with a final visitation at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 830 N. Lafayette in South Lyon. Donations can be made to the South Lyon Golf Team.