28-year-old killed in Hamburg Township crash remembered as funny, generous

HAMBURG, MI - Ian Wright will be remembered by friends and family as a fun-loving man who enjoyed time with loved ones and always made those around him laugh, family members said.

Wright, 28, died late Thursday, March 15 when his car struck a tree along Hamburg Road in Hamburg Township, police said. 

The Pickney resident grew up in Milford before moving to White Lake with his family while attending Lakeland High School, his sister Larissa Tudor, 34, said.

Tudor said her younger brother was known for his practical jokes and found humor in almost every situation.

"If you were down, he would find any way to make you laugh," she said. "He was very witty. You say one thing, he would come right back with something on you. He was hilarious. Very good with movie quotes as well."

Wright graduated high school in 2007 and worked as a local mechanic. He learned everything he knew about cars from his father, Tudor said.

He recently worked as a senior warranty analyst at Daimler Trucks North America, while also attending Oakland Community College to obtain a degree in engineering, Tudor said.

His family was devastated when they heard the news of his passing early Friday morning, Tudor said.

"It was not anything in a million years I thought would happen to him. We got the call from my Dad at 5:30 in the morning. He called my husband on the phone and he took it pretty hard too. I dropped to the floor. I couldn't believe it."

Tudor said she will remember her brother most for his generosity and his ability to help people. She said he loved his nieces and nephews more than anything.

"He was just such a wonderful person. He was just so generous," she said. "He would give you everything he possibly could if he thought you needed it. He'd give you all the money from his bank account if you needed it.

Wright's family has set up a GoFundMe account to assist with funeral costs. 

Authorities believe Wright was driving southbound on Hamburg Road and left the roadway near Athlone Drive before striking a tree just before midnight, Hamburg Township Deputy Chief Dariusz Nisenbaum said.

Wright was ejected from the vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene, Nisenbaum said. 

Nisenbaum said speed is believed to have been a factor in the crash.

Anyone with information on the crash is asked to call 810-222-1179.