MMA Fighter Marcus Kowal's Son Remembered at Memorial Service

HAWTHORNE, CA — A memorial service for the baby of MMA fighter Marcus Kowal, Liam, was held Tuesday at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Hawthorne. He was described as "the light" of his parents' lives.

Liam Mikel Kowal was fatally injured on the afternoon of Sept. 3 in Hawthorne, and the alleged motorist, 71-year-old Donna Marie Higgins, was later arrested and booked on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter.

"As horrific of a week (as) this has been, I've never seen or felt as much love, all because of Liam," MMA fighter and trainer Marcus Kowal said at his son's memorial service, which was live streamed on YouTube.

"People have come together in ways I have never seen before," he said. "(It) has meant so much to us, but was also beautiful just to sit back and watch."

The boy's mother, Mishel Eder, said through tears that Liam "was and is the light of our lives."

"He taught us so much. He taught me who I am, how to love, who I want to be. He taught me to be so grateful for life. I am so grateful that I got to be his mama," she told the mourners.

Surgeons at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center were able to stabilize the child following the collision, but based on subsequent medical tests that showed he would not recover, his parents made the decision to remove him from life support and donate his organs.

The collision occurred at the intersection of 133rd Street and Hawthorne Boulevard. Liam's 15-year-old aunt was pushing the toddler in a baby stroller inside a crosswalk when they were struck by an SUV driven by Higgins, police said.

Witnesses followed Higgins for about a block, then used their own vehicles to corner the SUV until police arrived, according to police.

The girl, who is the sister of the toddler's mother, was hospitalized in serious but stable condition with leg injuries, according to family members.

— City News Service contributed to this report. Photo: Screen shot of the YouTube live stream.