By STU CLAMPITT
Westfield High School senior and Shamrocks football player Brogan Kooy died of a drug overdose on Saturday, March 20, 2021. He was 17. The family had set up a GoFundMe account to help pay for the unexpected funeral expenses, and in fine Hamilton County fashion, the support was overwhelming.
This past Saturday, at Brogan’s celebration of life at Sheridan Church of God, 707 W. 2nd St., Westfield football coach Jake Gilbert told The Reporter Brogan was a great kid.
“Incredible smile with a huge heart,” Coach Gilbert said. “Sometimes he got in trouble because he struggled to say ‘no’ to people. I’d known him forever and he had overcome a lot. He just fell a little short. He had a lot of friends as you can see from this enormous turnout. That’s a tribute to him.”
Three hundred or more people were on hand for the celebration of life Saturday.
Several Westfield Shamrocks football players were on hand to set up tables and chairs for the hundreds of people who showed up Saturday. An abundance of food was provided to guests by two generous donors who asked to remain anonymous. (Reporter photo by Stu Clampitt)
Coach Gilbert said he was amazed that the GoFundMe account, “Raised $20,000 in 24 hours and about $30,000 overall for the family. That will not only pay for the expense of today’s ceremony, but there will be money left over to help make a difference.”
That extra money will go to a new foundation that is being set up by Brogan’s uncle, Craig Kooy.
“We were shocked,” Kooy said. “You can’t put words to the amount of people he’s touched. It wasn’t so much the dollar amount as it was how many people donated. I think we are up to almost 400 people. That to me is the true testimony.”
Kooy said the foundation will take a few months to set up because there is a great deal of paperwork and waiting involved in obtaining approval for a newly-formed non-profit 501(c)(3) foundation.
“When it is up and running, the extra money – minus the funeral expenses – is going to go to the Brogan Foundation in honor of Brogan,” Kooy told The Reporter. “It will give us an opportunity to bring a better representation of drug awareness.”
Coach Gilbert said he is proud of the community that has given so much that it will be possible to set up a non-profit focused on saving lives.
“The Brogan foundation – what a great legacy to try to save kids’ lives, prevent them from getting addicted to drugs and have more tragedies like this one,” Gilbert said. “That would be a great legacy. I was so impressed with our community.”
After the GoFundMe closes this week, the work will continue to start the Brogan Foundation. Kooy said he will tell our readers when that is complete, at which time all donations will also be tax deductible.
If you wish to donate now, the you can do so at gofundme.com/f/memorial-fundraiser-for-brogan-kooy.
Reporter photo by Stu Clampitt
Reporter photo by Stu Clampitt