Tyler grew up at The Cottage. His summer birthdays were celebrated there since he turned one. As a baby, he was bathed in the kitchen sink until he was old enough to “shower” in the lake. While other families went camping, his packed up the minivan in Metro Detroit and drove Up North to Charlevoix.

His dad was born and raised there, and his mom spent her childhood summers there, after her parents bought the cottage from its original owner in 1964. That cozy, single-story summer home became the heart of their family, hosting decades of memories. Each summer, “Camp Gramp” brought Tyler, his siblings, and cousins together with no parents allowed. Run by his grandparents, it was their family version of summer camp, full of dramatic games of “mean” croquet, basketball clinics, golf lessons, tennis matches, DIY putt-putt courses, questionable sailing adventures, boat rides, bike treks, board game battles, nightly bonfires, and animated bedtime stories.

Just down the beach, Tyler’s other grandparents had “The Lake.” Over the decades, their property welcomed RVs parked by aunts, uncles, and cousins, becoming the site of endless family potlucks, celebrations, and Tyler’s favorite ritual: afternoon coffee. Like clockwork, pots of coffee were brewed one after another while aunts and uncles gathered on the porch with various treats, and if he was lucky, Grandma Jo’s pecan rolls.