“He brought a good energy to everything,” Lindsay Rourke said. “He was a positive person. He was the best friend anyone could have.”

Kevin Rourke, a 22-year-old advertising senior, was found dead in his Cedar Village apartment late last week by East Lansing police officers.

Officers were dispatched to the apartment complex at about 12:30 p.m. Dec. 2, and found Rourke dead. An autopsy and toxicology report have not yet been completed. Although his cause of death has yet to be been determined, police officials said it appears to be drug-related.

This is the third potentially drug-related student death in the past two weeks, according to police. Jessica Hockensmith, 19, died two weeks ago and Nick Charboneau, 21, died earlier last week — toxicology reports on all three deaths are pending.

Marketing sophomore Colleen Russell was with Rourke hours before he died.

Although she did not know the conversation she had with Rourke would be their last, she said she was honored to have been one of the last people to talk with him.

Russell said Rourke was a selfless friend who put others before himself and often was a balancing force among their group of friends.

“If there was a situation where you were mad, he was the person to fix it, to find a solution,” she said.

“He’s true to himself and who he is, and we all like him for who he was.”

Lindsay Rourke said although she was always there to look out for her brother, he often was the one looking out for others.

Lindsay Rourke said he was kind, generous and made people feel comfortable as soon as he met them.

“He would give the shirt off his back to a stranger,” she said.

Kevin Rourke also put emphasis on maintaining friendships and having fun, marketing sophomore Kayla Borkowski, a friend of Kevin Rourke’s, said.

Energetic and easygoing, Rourke always was up for a good time, Borkowski said.

“He was just a great friend over all,” she said. “He was always there for the other person. (And) no matter what the situation was, it was always a fun time with Kevin.”

Borkowski met Rourke last year when he was hired at Five Guys Burgers and Fries, 623 E. Grand River Ave.

Although Rourke was working toward a career in advertising, Borkowski said he focused much of his recent efforts toward his job — working full-time while taking class and making his way up the ranks to a management position shortly after being hired.

Russell said some of the traits that stood out most about Rourke were his diligent work habits and dedication. He was offered the position of general manager at another Five Guys restaurant within a year of being hired.

Julian Horn, one of Rourke’s coworkers, said Rourke’s vibrant personality showed through, even in the workplace.

But during the times when Rourke wasn’t as animated, Horn said another side of him became apparent — a more “down to earth” side.

Horn described Rourke as having two different shades: fun-loving and energetic, yet compassionate and self-sacrificing.

“He knows how to care for people and he put other people before himself,” Horn said.

“He wasn’t just a manager. He managed his life the same way he did work, he took care of everybody and he took care of himself.”

Rourke’s family will be holding a memorial service at noon on Saturday at St. Mary Catholic Church, 10601 Dexter-Pinckney Rd. in Pinckney, Mich.