Celebration of life service scheduled for Charlotte high school student killed in crash
One week after a fatal neighborhood crash killed a Providence High School student, a memorial for the 15-year-old sits, growing, at the site as her family plans a celebration.
Dressed in purple, family and friends will celebrate Ella Lukse’s life at McEwen Funeral Service at 5716 Monroe Road on Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m.
Lukse was sitting shotgun in a 2019 Volkswagen Jetta driving down Raintree Lane when a 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee hit the passenger side near Rounding Run Road at about 9 p.m. on Sept. 3, police said. The Jeep flipped, and the Jetta hit a tree near Raintree Country Club’s golf course, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.
Officers arrested and charged the 17-year-old boy who drove the Jeep with reckless driving and driving after consuming under 21, though police said he was not impaired. He was not injured, authorities said.
Paramedics took Lukse, the driver of the car she was in, and two of the Jeep’s passengers to the hospital, police said. There, Lukse stayed on life support for two days.
She died last Tuesday, according to an obituary published by McEwen Funeral Service. Providence High’s principal sent out an email the same day saying the school’s grief counselors remain available for students and friends.
Her little sister Gia told WSOC, the Charlotte Observer’s news partner, her family initially thought Lukse would survive the crash, but doctors had recently told them otherwise.
“ella i miss u with my whole heart,” Gia wrote on her sister’s memorial page. “i’ve been waiting to get a text but it hurts so bad that u never are and i miss (our) late night talks love you sweet girl i’ll always miss u i’m still gonna knock on ur door everyday and annoy u somehow and i will always love that love u sweet girl i miss u.
“i hope i will see you soon.”
This story was originally published September 12, 2023 at 12:04 PM.
