June 12, 2003 – October 31, 2024
Ethan Walker Kanthack
Witty humor with a heart of gold
At 21 years old, Ethan Walker Kanthack passed away from a rare cancer known as Synovial Sarcoma. However, the ending of his story does not define him. Ethan was known by all as a humorous individual that brought laughter and joy into every room he entered. Born in Katy, Texas, Ethan was raised by Jason and Kristen Kanthack and grew up with his two sisters, Ava and Kara Kanthack.
“You know, he could cook and clean and do laundry at a young age,” Kristen said. “He loves sports. You know, he’s your typical Aggie. Yeah, but he was very, very funny. I mean, he would crack me up all day long.”
An Aggie through and through, Ethan encapsulated every core value. With the rare ability to balance humor and love, he was able to spread joy to others while not taking life too seriously. This bliss was absolutely infectious to everyone lucky enough to be in his presence.
“He had the perfect smile and the perfect sense of humor to match it,” Ethan’s sister, Kara, said. “My favorite memories with him was just talking to him. Sitting at the dinner table or going on a car ride to get ice cream. The conversations we would have just made my entire day so much better even if it was just a short 30-second conversation. No matter how unfunny the joke was to you, if you saw him laughing you would laugh too.”
Ethan’s other sister, Ava, is moved by this same happiness that exuded from him. Even though she reported to oftentimes be the butt of the joke, she admitted that no one could help but laugh whenever Ethan did.
“I remember that every time we were together he would make me laugh so hard I would cry and my face would turn red,” Ava said. “That’s what makes Ethan so special. He could make fun of you directly to your face, and you couldn’t help but laugh hysterically.”
When Ethan wasn’t busy making people laugh, he was probably playing video games or sports with his family and friends. In fact, some of his father, Jason’s, favorite memories revolve around the simple tossing and catching of a ball in the backyard.
“[My] favorite memories are him sleeping on my chest as a baby while mom was at work,” Jason said. “He would sleep for hours on me. And all the times we played baseball, football and volleyball in the backyard. Lastly, when we cried together towards the end of his life and he told me I was a good dad.”
When asked to describe Ethan in three words —which she said was challenging to do for a person as colorful as him —Kristen used the words funny, loving and perfect. The qualities of all three of the words are proven through a sentimental story that perfectly represents who Ethan was.
“His sister, Ava, who’s here right now, she’s valedictorian for senior year,” Kristen said. “He would make fun of her daily about how much she worked, how much she was studying […] and he would just be so mean to her, saying, ‘You know, all you need is a 90.’ And ‘you know, it doesn’t matter that much’. About a month before he passed, we found out, you know, he wasn’t going to survive. We were in the hospital and I woke up because I could hear him crying, and I went to him, and he said he just wants to be there for Ava’s graduation because she worked so hard, he wants to see her give a speech. So even though he was mean and joking with her, deep down, he loved her so much.”
Ethan’s concern for his sister shows just how selfless and loving he was. Despite all of the jokes and jabs, everyone Ethan knows can categorize him as a loving son, brother and friend. Through his responsibility, compassion and humor, despite harsh circumstances, Ethan remained a bright light until the very end.
“He had the smile that would light up a room,” Kara said. “No matter how sad you’re feeling that day or how angry you are. He would find a way to make you smile, and seeing him smile back would make you smile just a little bit bigger.”
