Support Ethan Merritt’s Family in Their Time of Loss

Last week our family suffered a tragic loss. Our hearts are left feeling torn and broken. We lost a beloved son, little brother, big brother, grandson, nephew, and cousin, Ethan. The place for him in our family is now empty and silent. His dreams and hopes for his life will never be realized. He saw himself one day serving in the military or as a firefighter. A life that can no longer be.

Ethan fought a dark and agonizing 9-year battle with depression. He faced a heavy, isolating burden no child should ever experience. His aspirations of playing team sports, specifically soccer and football, came with so many challenges that he was never able to attend more than a few practices. He attended North Central High School in Spokane during his junior and senior year of high school.

He recently celebrated his 20th birthday. Ethan loved to be outside riding his bike, skateboarding, hiking or shooting hoops in his driveway. As an older sibling he found amusement in teasing his sisters and brothers. He would spend hours playing the guitar and Xbox. He and his brother Jonathan bonded while playing computer games. Ethan loved his family fiercely and he loved cats almost as much. His cats were named Luke and Chuck. They provided Ethan with immeasurable comfort during his life.

Ethan was a fun and happy child. He was quick to laugh, tell a joke and play with his siblings and cousins every chance he would get. He regularly indulged in a huge bowl of chocolate peanut butter ice cream after dinner. We would give anything just to see that face smeared with ice cream and hear the sound of his laugh one more time.

He was a delight to our whole family. He was kind and caring. He was patient with his little brothers. Ethan was good at math and had a talent for music and writing.

Sadly, as he approached adolescence, he developed severe depression and struggled with crippling social anxiety. He courageously fought this battle for as long as he could. We helped him in every way that we knew how. Tragically, he ended his life a week ago. There are no words to describe the pain that our family is experiencing. Depression is a thief and it stole Ethan from us.

We ask that you help support our family during this unbearably difficult time by joining us in donating toward Ethan's funeral expenses. The cost of the most basic funeral service is over $12,000. Some of the basic cost are $2,900 for the burial plot. The most basic headstone is $1,706. The fee for the casket and outer vault for the casket is $3,795. These are just a portion of the total cost. Due to this immense cost his mother and father are left knowing they can not give their son the funeral they want or feel that Ethan is deserving of.

Ethan's service will be held at Heritage Funeral & Cremation in Spokane.

To those of you who have donated:

Words are inadequate to convey how much each and every one of your donations means to our family. Reading through the donor list brings me to tears. We are so appreciative that you have taken the time to read about Ethan and take action to lessen the pain we are feeling. Thank you so very much.