HAMILTON, Mich. —
Two Allegan County brothers are being remembered by their school after they died earlier this week in a car accident.
Hayden and Logan Flick were both students in the Hamilton Community Schools District, where Hayden was a senior and Logan was a sophomore.
Logan was the Hamilton High School Student of the Month in October 2024.
Both brothers were involved in the Science Olympiad and were intelligent and passionate students who got along with everyone, according to the school.
“They're both phenomenal kids, hard workers, like they have a great family, they're just really a joy to interact with,” said Jake Klinger, science teacher and Science Olympiad coach. “Whether it was a classroom, whether it was in the hallway, whether it was as a coach, they're kids I really loved.”
The Allegan County Sheriff’s Office reported the crash occurred in the area of 30th Street and 134th Avenue just after 8 p.m. on Tuesday.
Authorities said Logan and Hayden were traveling westbound when they failed to stop at a stop sign and crashed into a northbound semi-truck. The truck driver was uninjured, but the truck was loaded with milk which spilled onto the roadway.
“Both boys, were just amazing kids, like they were loving to people around them,” Klinger said. “They were hard working. They were so smart with what they did. You just, you just can't believe like he knows that, like he understands that, and like communicates it well, there are kids that we're going to miss so, so much.”
Klinger said he got to know the boys not only through class but also on his Science Olympiad team.
“Long van and bus rides through the snow, listening, just to tell stories and just to get to know those kids is an amazing thing,” he said.
While Klinger had Hayden on his team longer than Logan, he said Logan made an impression on him as a middle schooler.
“He came up to our like, ‘Welcome to Science.’ And we have family night, which we had, like a kind of a general science trivia Kahoot, and he won. He beat all the team members. He beat all the adults that day. And that just showed his passion and his drive for learning and loving science.”
Logan took after his older brother.
“Hayden was the same way, like he just, he was the kid who knew, like everything, he was, the one that had interest in a lot of things”
The team is like a family. And when they go on to try and win their fifth consecutive regional title, there will be obvious pieces missing.
Hamilton Community Schools superintendent Bradford Lusk said they have a protocol in place for when tragedies happen.
“It really is a rallying point, and we come together for the family and for the students that are in need,” Lusk said. “So, we come together, we do what we can do, and we stay in some communication with the family to make sure that they're comfortable and their needs are being met. And that's what we do in Hamilton.”
Holland schools lend a helping hand with support staff.
“I just, I sent [Holland superintendent Nick Cassidy] a text, we had a quick call, and he had some people come over again and it was really great to see two districts working together for one common cause and putting kids first, no matter, you know, if it's in Holland or if it's in Hamilton, putting kids first, and we'll do the same thing for them.”
The family is in a period of mourning, but Lusk said they hope their sons’ story saves the life of other young drivers.
“Their decisions can have very strong or deadly consequences, let's focus on the road,” he said. “Put things down, focus on the road and make sure we're aware of our surroundings, because that is, that is key, especially when it can be just missing a stop sign. We're getting to the deer season, where deers can come in, anything of that nature.”
Because in the blink of an eye, a life can change.
“It is one of those things that accidents aren't planned. That's why they're accidents. You don't, you don't know they're going to happen, but if we can just eliminate as much as possible and take out some preventative accidents,” he said. “Let's do that and keep them safe on the road and learn from this and hopefully make a better, better world out of it and a better situation. Again, we can, if we can save one kid, that's great, but if we can save some more, that'd be perfect.”
The community is also rallying around the brothers with a GoFundMe that as of Friday afternoon has raised over $20,000.
GoFundMe organizer Kaylnn Hagen said on the donation page “As we surround the family with love and support, I ask for you to help financially, to cover any medical costs, living expenses while Jared heals, and funeral arrangements.
“These were two of the kindest boys with the biggest hearts. And we cannot begin to imagine what Jared are Patty are going through. This will forever leave a hole in our community and our hearts.
“Thank you for your love and support during this time of need. Please pray for their family to find comfort.”