CALEDONIA, Mich. — On Saturday family and friends of Rowan Morey, the 6-year-old boy who was killed in what is believed to be a murder-suicide, gathered in Caledonia to celebrate his life.
It would have been his seventh birthday.
"We're not letting the darkness that took him ruin the beauty of his birthday," said Rowan's mother, Brandi Morey-Pols.
His family said Rowan was an impressive golfer.
Some of his family and friends wore orange to the event and his golf teammates wore bright orange polos, all in memory of the color of Rowan's golf shoes.
Rowan was under joint custody between his mother in Caledonia and his father in Isabella County.
When Rowan's father didn't show up to drop off their son, Brandi contacted the Isabella County Sheriff's Office on Monday, August 19.
ICSO said Rowan and his father were both found dead in a camper on the father's property on Wednesday, August 21.
While the sun set on Saturday evening, Rowan's family and friends lit and released lanterns at the twelfth hole of the StoneWater Country Club golf course, near where Rowan had his best-ever golf swing.
"He was always so fun and so happy. Oh, he was over spoiled. He was over spoiled, rightfully so," said Brian Pols, Rowan's stepfather. "He was an amazing boy."
Brandi shared earlier in the week that there have been previous concerns for Rowan's safety while at his father's home.
She, along with the rest of Rowan's family, now wants to see change to prevent tragedies like this.
"His story is gonna keep going on, and I'm gonna change the way things happen for AMBER alerts for children. Parental kidnapping deserves just as much justice as any kidnapping ever," said Brandi. "We're changing that for Rowan."
Further updates regarding the case will be reported as they're made available.