Brian James Highstreet, passed away on August 24, 2026, at the age of 51, after a five-year battle with colorectal cancer. But cancer is not what defines Brian.

Brian was, above all else, someone who loved life—and loved living it with the people who mattered most.

He loved being on the water. Whether it was Lake Michigan, Pigeon Lake where he grew up, the St. Mary’s River, or one of the countless inland lakes he explored over the years, Brian was happiest near the shore. He loved boating, swimming, fishing, snorkeling, and just about anything else that involved enjoying the great outdoors. These activities he learned as a boy with his family and, perhaps more importantly, his love was passed on to his wife, Lindsay, and his son, Cameron. Some of their best memories were made together in nature.

Brian was also an avid golfer who loved almost every moment on the course. He loved camping, especially at “the property” near Ludington, where time seemed to slow down, no matter what was happening in the real world. He was a movie buff to an almost ridiculous degree, and there was a good chance that if you mentioned a movie, Brian had seen it and could quote a line from it. He loved traveling to South Dakota each fall with his Dad, Brother and Uncle to hunt pheasant, but more importantly, to spend time with his best friends, and to Puerto Morelos, Mexico, with friends and family, creating memories that will be carried forward for years to come.

He was a HUGE sports fanatic. A die-hard Lions fan (from BEFORE they were good), and a University of Michigan fan (Go Blue!), regardless of the weather. Master’s Sunday with his family was an annual tradition, and he was lucky enough to attend the practice round two years in a row. Once with friends, and once with his wife and parents, a dream he was so happy to fulfill.

Brian was an incredible therapist and had a genuine passion for helping people. He devoted his career to children, teens, and young adults, and he had a remarkable ability to make people feel seen, understood, and safe. He positively impacted the lives of hundreds of people. Even through surgeries, treatments, pain, and the exhaustion of cancer, Brian continued to care about his clients and the work he was doing. His impact will not end with his death. It will live on in the lives of the people he helped, the families he supported, and the people who learned from him.

But Brian’s greatest love was his family.

He is survived by his best friend and wife, Lindsay (Sichta); his 12 year old son, Cameron; his brother, Michael; his parents, Jim and Linda (Cuperus); and his nephews, niece, cousins, in-laws, and extended family, all of whom were close. Brian was fiercely devoted to the people he loved. Family came first—not as an idea, but in the way he lived his life.

And then there were his friends.

Brian had an extraordinary network of friends, many of whom became family in every way that mattered. He was loved by people from every chapter of his life, and those relationships meant the world to him. To everyone who laughed with him, golfed with him, sat beside him, checked in on him, watched movies with him, went boating, listened, visited, sent messages, or simply stayed—thank you. Your love and support carried Brian and his family through the hardest of times.

How do you say goodbye to someone who shouldn't be gone this early?

Someone who had so many more rounds of golf to play, movies to watch, places to travel, lakes to explore, and memories to make.

Someone whose life was far too short, but whose life filled the lives of so many people around him.

Brian did not get nearly enough time. But he made his time matter. He loved deeply. He gave generously. He helped people. He made memories. He built an incredible family. He built friendships that became family. And he left pieces of himself behind in countless people who are better because they knew him.

We will miss him more than words can say.

“And I know what I have to do now. I gotta keep breathing. Because tomorrow the sun will rise.

Who knows what the tide could bring?”

— Cast Away

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to support Lindsay and Cameron https://gofund.me/2856d21d5, or to the PALTOWN Development Foundation, the nonprofit supporting COLONTOWN and the colorectal cancer community https://paltown.org/in-loving-memory-of-brian-highstreet/.

And if Brian could ask one thing of everyone reading this, it would be this: if you are 45 or older, or if you are experiencing symptoms of colorectal cancer, please get screened. Don't wait. Early detection can save your life.

Brian’s life was about far more than cancer. Please remember him for the life he lived—not the disease that took it.

Friends and family are invited to attend a short ceremony followed by a celebration of Brian’s life on Sunday, September 13, 2026, at Three Fires Golf Club. 6045 136th Ave, Holland, MI 49424. The ceremony will begin at 12:30p. The celebration will follow from 1-3:30p.