By Emily Hale

At 87 years old, Mike Ilitch has passed away. The owner of the Detroit Red Wings and the Detroit Tigers, along with being the founder and owner of Little Caesars Pizza, Ilitch was known for his contributions to both sports teams and to the city of Detroit.

Throughout the redevelopment of Detroit, Ilitch was known for being at the center. Purchasing and renovating Fox Theater and moved his businesses there. Downtown Detroit was transformed by Ilitch and his devotion to make Detroit the amazing city it used to be. Mike Ilitch himself said in 2012 to The Detroit News, “It’s always been my dream to once again see a vibrant downtown Detroit. From the time we bought the Fox Theatre, I could envision a downtown where the streets are bustling and people were energized.”
Plenty of people were touched by Ilitch’s passing, especially those who love the game of hockey, and the Red Wings.“The loss of Ilitch hurts not just me, but everyone. He turned the Wings into a winning franchise and brought four Stanley Cups to Detroit,” said senior Ryan Sutcliffe.