Support the Vanburen Family in Memory of Austin

In Loving Memory of Austin Vanburen

It’s hard to find the words right now, but with a shattered heart, I want to share the heartbreaking news of the passing of Austin Vanburen.

Austin wasn’t just a childhood friend — he was family to me. I’ve known and loved him since I was 12 years old, and his family became like a second home. Some of my most cherished memories were made with his family. — family dinners, weekend hangouts, road trips, and late-night heart-to-hearts that I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life.

Austin was my first homecoming date, but our friendship and connection was so much more than just a dance. We grew up side by side, shared countless laughs and adventures, from fishing trips and goofing around with our foreign exchange students, to the quiet moments, like playing Pirates of the Caribbean on the piano together. He had this warm, gentle presence — the kind that made you feel safe and truly seen.

What made Austin so special wasn’t just how kind and thoughtful he was — it was his deep love for learning, storytelling, and the things that captured his imagination. One of his greatest passions was the Titanic. He didn’t just read about it — he knew it. I actually remember he made a complete replica of the Titanic in a Minecraft world and it was perfection. He could tell you everything from the ship’s blueprints to passenger stories and historical timelines. He loved to talk about how the ship was thought to be “unsinkable” and how it broke into two pieces when it sank. He’d get excited explaining how the grand staircase was inspired by Edwardian architecture, or how the iceberg was spotted too late because the lookouts didn’t have binoculars. His fascination wasn’t just with the tragedy — it was with the people, the history, the story.

That love of story spilled into everything he did. Austin was a gifted writer, and one of his biggest dreams was to become an author. He was always creating — filling notebooks with stories, characters, and ideas. He saw the world through a creative lens, and he had a way of making the ordinary feel extraordinary. I remember him always having me proof read his stories and chapters we would write.

He came from a big, blended family — eight siblings in total. Five on his mom’s side, and three on his dad’s. He was a brother, a son, a friend — and he loved deeply. His family, who welcomed me into their lives like one of their own, is now grieving the pain of losing someone so young.

To lose someone like Austin is beyond painful. And now, his family — who has always opened their arms to so many of us — is facing an unimaginable grief. On top of that, they’re carrying the burden of funeral expenses as they try to honor Austin with the love and care he so deeply deserves.

A GoFundMe has been set up to help ease that weight. If you’re able to donate, no matter the amount, it will mean the world. And if you’re not in a place to give right now, simply sharing this post can make a difference.

Please join me in lifting up this beautiful family with all the love, support, and prayers we can offer. Let’s show up for them the way they’ve always shown up for others.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.