Ethan Joseph Wissell, September 10 1996 – November 27 2016

We lost our boy today. No parents have ever been more proud of a son and Ethan’s courage, especially near the end, was truly humbling. He gave all he had to give, physically and emotionally, in order to fight this battle with leukemia but unfairly the odds were stacked against him.  

Ethan was genuinly kind and incredibly capable and so together today we have all collectively lost someone very special.  

Rest in peace son.  

71 thoughts on “Ethan Joseph Wissell, September 10 1996 – November 27 2016

  1. Dear Michael, Muriel, Colin and Spencer –
    There are no words to express our profound sadness in learning of Ethan’s passing.
    I remember reading this, ‘A life is never ended until all the lives it has touched have ended too.’
    In this respect, Ethan will live on forever.
    Rest in Peace, you have fought the good fight, Warrior.
    Love Uncle Brian + Auntie Debbie

    Like

  2. I am so sorry for your loss, for what the world has lost. My heart breaks for your family. Although I did not know Ethan,his blog gave me insight into what a special young man he is. I know he is with God but that is a small comfort right now. I really have no words to express how deep my sorrow is. May God guide you in your grief journey . Lots of love .Colleen Davis

    Like

  3. Dear Muriel, Michael, Colin and Spencer,
    Our deepest condolences on the loss of your incredible son and brother.
    Wishing you peace to bring comfort, courage to face the days ahead and loving memories to forever hold in your hearts.
    Love,
    Sue, Ed, Nathan and Matthew

    Like

    1. Dear Mike, Muriel, Colin and Spencer

      We are so so sad to hear of this news, this breaks our heart. Our deepest sympathy goes out to all of you during this sad time. Ethan will live on forever in our memory as an incredible boy, so strong so kind and so smart. May he rest in peace . Thinking of all of you.

      Jackie, Mike, Natalia and Nicolas

      Like

  4. Michael, Muriel, Colin and Spencer – our sincerest condolences. Ethan fought an incredible fight with the support, strength and love from his family. May that same strength and love help you through this very sad time.

    Our love and thoughts are with you all.
    Bethany and Dave

    Like

  5. We are so sad to hear of your loss and you are very much in our thoughts. Ethan’s incredible determination and beautiful optimism were truly inspiring!
    Aldonna, Rick and Nick (Blouin)

    Like

  6. We are so deeply saddened for your loss. Ethan’s strength and courage has been an inspiration to us all. He will forever be remembered as a special young man.
    Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
    Nancy and Paul

    Like

    1. Michael, Muriel, Colin and Spencer,

      I am so sorry for this loss. All my thoughts and prayers are with you at this time.
      Carole Garmaise

      Like

  7. Dear Muriel, Michael, Colin and Spencer,

    No words can express how deeply saddened we are to learn of Ethan’s passing. Ethan was a strong, courageous and beautiful boy. Our deepest sympathy goes out to all of you at this sad time.
    May he rest in peace, and may God give you the strength to heal your broken hearts.

    Our love and thoughts are with you all.
    Susan, Doug, Bianca & Chloe

    Like

  8. Muriel, Michael, Colin & Spencer: We are so sorry to read of Ethan’s loss. Although we did not know him, his blog gave us wonderful insight to the truly bright, positive and courageous young man he was. It was a privilege to be included as part of his cheering section.
    Sincerest condolences,
    Jackie, Dave, Matt, Andrew & Ally Lang

    Like

  9. Dear Muriel, Michael, Colin and Spencer,

    We are so saddened to hear of Ethan’s passing. Please know that you are in our thoughts.

    With love,

    Dave, Sherri, Ryan, Nathan and Quinn

    Like

  10. Dear Muriel, Micheal, Colin and Spencer,

    We all had the highest admiration for Ethan. He was a remarkable young man in every way – kind, fun, intelligent, strong and courageous. Our hearts are so saddened. Our most sincere condolences.
    With sadness,
    Sue, Steve and family

    Like

  11. My heart goes out to Ethan’s family. I was one of the teachers on Ethan’s trip to Tanzania, and he was such a charismatic and funny kid. He had us laughing with his jokes and antics, and had us thinking with the way he saw the issues we were studying and the way he engaged with the world. I’m sad to hear that his life was cut short, but I am happy to have known him. All the best in this most difficult time.

    Like

  12. I was a student on Ethan’s MEI Journey to Africa trip back in 2013. Ethan quickly became my friend and always had me laughing at his crazy jokes. I haven’t seen Ethan since a couple years ago when I was in Oakville visiting friends from the trip. Regardless of the fact that I didn’t get to see him very often, he was always in my thoughts and I will forever cherish the memories we have. He touched everyone on that trip and it truly wouldn’t have been the same without him. My heart goes out to his family in this difficult time.

    Like

  13. To the entire Wissell family; the grace and fearlessness of Ethan, and your entire family is beyond words. We are heartbroken for you, as this is the unimaginable outcome that we all hoped against. Nothing said could ever articulate what we witnessed as Ethan faced this head on, unlike anyone we have ever seen. What an extraordinary human being!

    Like

  14. Colin, we are all thinking about you today and know how difficult this is for you and your family. Your brother sounds like a truly amazing person. Please accept our condolences for your loss.

    Like

  15. Muriel, Mike, Colin & Spencer,

    Our sincerest condolences on Ethan’s passing. Ethan was a wonderful boy and his memory will live on in our hearts and minds. Our thoughts are with your family in this difficult time.

    With all our love,

    Tate, Reese, Austyn, Laura and Alan

    Like

  16. Dear Ethan’s parents and family,

    Words cannot express my sorrow. Ethan was my O-Week brother at Rice. We would have classes together and study together regularly. Through these interactions I learned so much about him — his love for his family, his obsession with football. These are memories I should cherish forever. The world has lost a beautiful soul and I am so proud to have known him. My heart goes out to you during these difficult times. Please let me know what I can do.

    Love,

    Nadia

    Like

  17. Dear Muriel, Mike, Spencer & Colin,
    We are so saddened to hear of Ethan’s passing. He sounds like an absolutely wonderful person. Please know that you are in our thoughts and in our hearts. And that Ethan will live forever in yours.
    Much much love, Jennifer, Bill, Will, Casper & Ewan

    Like

  18. Dear Muriel, Mike, Spencer & Colin,
    Ethan was loved & respected for all he accomplished in his life. A tragic loss he was taken so young. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all.
    Mary & Kevin

    Like

  19. Ethan was an unfailingly kind, compassionate, and joyful person. Words cannot express how much I will miss him. His goofy smile brightened everything around him, and his exuberant attitude towards life was infectious. Beneath his ebullient demeanor was a sharp mind brimming with insights and wisdom far beyond his years. I am so proud to have had him as a member of my O-Week group, I am so grateful that he was my neighbor, and I am so happy that he was my friend. I’ll never forget the regular Sunday afternoons we spent watching NFL games and playfully insulting each other’s favorite teams, or the hours we spent discussing our shared love of nonfiction books about strategy and innovation. And more than anything else, I’ll never forget how incredibly caring and empathetic he was. He could always tell when I was down, even when I hid it from others. He never failed to cheer me up at those moments. My life has forever been improved by his presence, and I am so, so unbelievably grateful that our paths crossed. I don’t yet know how, but I promise to find a way to honor his memory moving forward. He truly deserves it. Mr. and Mrs. Wissell, thank you for raising such a fine son.

    Love,

    Mikail Khan

    Like

  20. Dear Muriel, Mike, Colin and Spencer,
    Our deepest condolences on your loss. You are in our thoughts and prayers.
    The van der Griend family ( Peter jr, Piete, Sophie, Madeleine and Edward)

    Like

  21. I am so sorry to hear about this very sad news. Sending so much love. The Wissell family is strong. My condolences

    Rest in peace Ethan ❤

    Like

  22. Dear Muriel, Michael, Spencer and Colin…

    There are no words I could possibly express to you to bring you comfort at this devastating time for your family. I’ve followed Ethan’s fight and you were all often in my thoughts and prayers. May the bond of love you have for each other bring you some peace.

    With deep sadness,

    Vicki, Kevin, Ethan and Matty Hall

    Liked by 1 person

  23. Mike, Muriel, Colin and Spence … We are completely devastated. I have not been on FB much lately and have not kept up, but you were on my mind constantly this morning and I had decided that I would reach out tomorrow. Dave, Stephen, Mallory and I are completely devastated. No doubt that Ethan put up such a strong fight: he was following your example. I have never met such a wonderful family, such wonderful parents or such wonderful kids. Our thoughts and tears are with you now. All of our love,
    the Long family.

    Like

  24. Muriel, Michael, Colin and Spencer…I am so shocked and saddened beyond words. I have been following the story of Ethan’s fight and was so impressed by his courage, bravery and strength. My deepest condolences and thoughts are with you all.
    Much love, Julie Melaschenko

    Like

  25. Michael, Muriel, Colin and Spencer,

    Laurie and I are so saddened by Ethan’s passing.

    May you find some comfort in the memories of Ethan.

    Our deepest condolences.

    Love,

    Laurie and Brian

    Like

  26. I am so sorry for your loss! Your son was an inspiration to all that followed his page! My heart breaks for all of you 💔

    Like

  27. Mike, Muriel, Colin and Spencer,
    My most sincere condolences on the passing of Ethan. I am so sorry and can’t begin to imagine how all of you feel. Although I never met Ethan he clearly was a fighter. Reading his blog always reminded of how precious life is and especially a young one. My heart goes out to all of you.
    Robbie Pryde

    Like

  28. Dear Michael and Muriel;

    My sincere sympathy to you both and your family. Ethan showed such courage! Our thoughts are with All of you at this difficult time.

    Rosemary Evans (and the staff and students of UTS)

    Like

  29. Michael, Muriel, Colin and Spencer,
    We just can’t find any words to express enough how sad we are to receive this news today. Ethan was so remarkable in how he shared his fight so eloquently with all of us. It was truly a gift to get to know your wonderful son. Our sincerest condolences to your whole family.
    Love,
    Steve and Mary

    Like

  30. Dear Muriel, Mike, Colin and Spencer,

    We are so saddened by the loss of such a fine young man as Ethan. Our deepest condolences to you all. You are in our prayers.
    Love,
    Denis, Susan , Adrian and Natalie

    Like

  31. Dear Michael and Muriel, I am so saddened by your tragic loss. I have such fond memories of Ethan at UTS! Je vous souhaite force et courage, et je vous offre mes sincères condoléances. Avec toute mon affection, Carole (Madame B.-F)

    Like

  32. The Wissells, I’m so saddened to hear of Ethan’s passing. So so young. You are all in my thoughts and I will keep fond memories of Ethan.

    Like

  33. Dear Ethan’s parents and family , I am so sorry and saddened by your lost.

    Ethan was bright kind, funny and I will always remember those times when he and other UTS teens visit us.

    I have no words to express my sorrow. I will keep those memories of Ethan happily interacting with the other UTS teens in my thoughts and heart.

    Liliana Diaz

    Like

  34. I miss you Ethan, you were my best friend and I considered you my brother. I’m thinking of you always and I love you, you were there for me and I know you will still be. I’ve just been replaying our great memories in my head all day, it makes me smile and tear up at the same time, I know you’re happy wherever you may be now, and I’ll see you soon, I love you Ethan. I am sending my thoughts & prayers to the Wissell family, stay strong from the Jenkins family.

    Like

  35. Dear Colin, Spencer, Michael, and Muriel,

    I am one of Ethan’s high school friends. I am so deeply sorry for your loss. I can’t believe it. I remember everything about his time with us so viviy as if no time had passed. His thoughts and impact on my life are critical, he taught me a lot that I will never leave behind. Ethan was an incredible person and I enjoyed every second of his presence in my life. He had a love and passion for the important things in life and I think that is really special. I am praying for you, to be able to find the strength to carry forward and to continue living with such love and compassion in your hearts. Thank you for bringing such a wonderful person into the world. He was a gift and we will miss him so much.

    Like

  36. To Michael, Muriel, Colin and Spencer,

    We are so sorry to hear of your loss. Please know you are in our thoughts.

    Much love, Anne, Bob, Maddie and Harry Armstrong

    Like

  37. Deeply saddened to hear of your loss. My thoughts and prayers are with your family. Ethan was wonderful young man.

    Jeff Kennedy.

    Like

  38. I posted this one week ago on FB, and in the light of Ethan’s death, I wanted to repost. I am devastated by his death and am mourning the loss of the life that could have been, but after re-reading this post this morning, I realize that I am being selfish: In focusing on our loss and the tragedy of the life that could have been, I am taking away from the life that was. I need to honour and celebrate the life that was: Ethan Wissell was a wonderful young man and made his parents and anyone who knew him extremely proud. He enriched our lives by getting to know him and love him in the short time that we did, and we are better people because of it. If the post below is an indication of a successful life and what we can all hope to achieve, then I need to say congratulations to Ethan: You lived your life well. You touched our hearts and will always be with us. We will miss you dearly. xoxoxo

    “We come in with nothing, we go with nothing, but one thing that we can achieve in our beautiful life is .. A little remembrance in someone’s mind and a small place in someone’s heart.”

    Like

  39. I am so, so sorry for your loss. I really enjoyed teaching Ethan at UTS, and he always had the best smile when we passed in the hallway. He was a very special young man – hold on tightly to your memories of him.
    Judy Kay (Mrs. Kay)

    Liked by 1 person

  40. I am so deeply sorry for your family. Ethan was a bright light, and made all those around him smile. I count myself lucky to have been able to work with Ethan at UTS. He will be missed.
    Sue Thompson

    Like

  41. Michael, Muriel, Colin and Spencer,
    We extend to you our most heartfelt sorrow and condolences. Our thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult times
    Marcela & Rostoum

    Like

  42. Dear Muriel, Michael, Spencer and Colin,

    I’m deeply saddened to hear about Ethan.

    He was such a beautiful person. He consistently lit up every room he entered with his passion for life. The strength and courage he showed all of us was truly inspirational and will never be forgotten.

    I will always cherish the memories we shared.

    Rest in Peace Ethan ❤️

    Like

  43. Dear Muriel, Michael, Colin and Spencer,

    We each share in your grief and we each mourn the loss of your courageous and incredibly smart and kind son.

    We each have fond memories of Ethan, as a child and as the brave young man he became.

    We will continue to support the Wissell Family in any way possible.

    all our love,
    Marianne (Deif), Jean, Sarah and Thomas Sawaya

    Like

Leave a Reply to bpvendramin Cancel reply

Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in:

WordPress.com Logo

You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Log Out /  Change )

Facebook photo

You are commenting using your Facebook account. Log Out /  Change )

Connecting to %s