Goran Maksimovic, 26, Laid to Rest Near Sabac

Serbian singer Goran Maksimovic (26) was laid to rest today, September 24, at noon, at the family cemetery in the village of Gorice, near Sabac. Republika reports that the burial specifically took place at the cemetery in Bogostica, part of Gorice, while Novosti and Kurir simply list the location as the village of Gorice.

The funeral was announced by the family, in a statement that read:

With great sorrow and pain, we inform relatives, friends and acquaintances that the funeral of our beloved will be held on Thursday at noon, in the family village of Gorice. The family will accompany their loved one to his eternal rest.

The young singer died in a car accident near Slatina, close to Sabac, while returning from the Sabac Fair. Three other people were in the car with him, including his wife. We previously reported on the accident in the article “Goran Maksimovic (26) Killed Near Sabac.” News of his death, according to Kurir, deeply shook the entertainment scene, and his untimely passing, Republika reports, hit his family, friends and colleagues hard, who have been saying goodbye with emotional messages.

Ahead of the funeral, singer Milica Kostadinovic, Goran’s close friend and a former contestant on “Zvezde Granda,” also spoke out. On Instagram, she posted a video of the two of them together, showing Goran singing the song “Zapalio bih celo selo” (I Would Burn Down the Whole Village), along with a short message:

Our song, my Gogiska. My soul aches.

Earlier, when she shared the family’s announcement of the funeral date, Milica added:

May your soul rest in peace, and may your memory live on forever.

Right after Goran’s death, Milica had already said goodbye to her colleague in a longer message, describing years of their friendship dating back to her earliest performances:

You left too soon, my friend. It’s hard to accept that the voice behind my first gigs and some of my fondest memories has gone quiet. I’ll remember you by the smile that lit up every room, by your kindness, by your smile, and by your song. I believe you’re up there singing somewhere now, just the way you knew how, from the heart. Save a song for me. One day, when we meet again, we’ll sing it together. Sleep well, my Gogiska.

In that message, she said she would forever hold on to her memories of Goran, especially his smile, his kindness and his love of music.

The funeral took place on Thursday at noon, exactly as the family had announced. Goran was accompanied to his final rest by family, friends and colleagues from the entertainment scene. Goran Maksimovic was 26 years old.