Rylen Alexander Yager's Obituary
Rylen A. Yager, age 14, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, January 24, 2026, in Muskegon, MI. He was born to Eric and Samantha (Hulka) Yager on September 29, 2011, in Muskegon, MI.
Rylen was the kind of kid who filled every space he entered with energy, creativity, and challenge. He was very athletic and could rarely resist asking someone, anyone, for a one-on-one basketball game, even if it meant provoking you just enough to get you on the court with him. Competing, laughing, and connecting through play was simply who he was.
His creativity knew no limits. In his Minecraft worlds, Rylen built entire towns from imagination alone, and in real life he could turn the most random materials, fabric scraps, cardboard, anything he could get his hands on, into something meaningful. He was always working on something and always asking for more supplies, driven by a mind that never stopped creating.
Rylen loved collecting Funko Pops and Pokémon, and he had a bold, unfiltered sense of humor. His mother often described him as a “Sour Patch Kid,” first sour, then sweet. He was never afraid to lovingly roast people and he knew exactly how to get a laugh, even if he sometimes discovered the line by crossing it, leaving people laughing, shaking their heads, and quietly impressed.
Above all, Rylen was deeply loved and will be remembered for his bright spirit, quick wit, creative soul, and the joy he brought to everyone around him. His presence was unforgettable, and his absence will be felt forever.
He is survived in death by his mother: Samantha (Miles) Fouty; father: Eric (Felicia) Yager; brother: Haydn Yager; grandparents: Tamara Sorenson-Yager, Lisa Griggs and Greg Hulka. He is preceded in death by a grandparent: Micheal Yager.
A CELEBRATION OF LIFE and VISITATION will be scheduled later in the Spring at Port City Church, Cloverville Campus, 3387 Heights Ravenna Rd. Muskegon, MI. 49444. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations of stuffed animals for the children at Helen Devos Children's Hospital, as Rylen loved his stuffed animals. Arrangements through The Lee Chapel of Sytsema Funeral and Cremation Services, 6291 Harvey St. Muskegon, MI. 49444. Please consider signing the family’s online guestbook and share memories at https://sytsemafh.com
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