Meijer AAA Hockey Suffers Devastating Loss to its Hockey Family

LANSING, MI - It is with great sadness and a heavy heart to share that our hockey family has suffered two tremendous losses. Last night, on their way to practice, two of our Meijer 16U Girls players were involved in a fatal car accident on I-96 that took both of their lives.

This is the hardest day we can remember at Meijer AAA Hockey. Darian Locklear was a junior at Brighton High School, and Julianna Ward-Brown was a Junior at Howell High School. Both girls played on our 16U girls team for Coach Kurt Miller.

“As you can imagine, we are all devastated - in shock. There is no guidebook to navigate this kind of tragedy. My heart breaks for their families, their teammates and their friends,” said Tom Berry, Meijer AAA Hockey Director.

Meijer AAA Hockey will have grief counselors from Ele's Place in Lansing on hand for players, coaches and parents during our girls' regularly scheduled practice times on Thursday at The Summit in Lansing.

Please help us take care of these families with your prayers and loving support.

FUNERAL ARRANGEMENT UPDATES:
Darian Locklear
Phillips Funeral Home
122 W. Lake St. (which is also 10 Mile)
South Lyon, MI 48178
Visitation, Saturday 4-9pm
Funeral Service, Sunday 10:30am

Julianna Ward-Brown
MacDonald's Funeral Home Sunday from 2-8pm
Funeral, Mass of Resurrection Monday, Feb. 12 at 10am St. Agnes Catholic Church
855 E. Grand River Ave. in Fowlerville, MI

A GoFundMe Page has been set up for Julianna's family to help with funeral expenses.

A GoFundMe Page has been set up in Darian's name for the Darian Locklear Hockey Scholarship Memorial Fund.

Meijer AAA Hockey will be setting up a Memorial Fund in both girls' names, and that information will be shared here once available.