Always Remember, JOLTeON!

JOLT-ON! 2026 Memorial Game Days: Pokémon Universe

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It is no surprise to many of you why we named our annual Memorial Game Days for Ethan “Jolt-on!”. His beloved Pokémon of all time is a Lightening Pokémon named Jolteon. This classic electric-type character was introduced in Generation 1 and is highly regarded by Ethan for his incredible speed and special attack in competitive battles. We find his JOLT character hanging out in many circles these days and look after him with great care. Ethan brought his love for the game of Pokémon, card collections, and team building into many communities throughout his life. Our goal for this year is to remember Ethan through the joy of sharing the abundance of the Pokémon Universe.

JOLTEON SIGHTING:
Jolteon continues to find his way into our daily life just like he did with Ethan. You might find him hanging out with the
Purdue University Battle
Association game events,
or Purdue’s Splatoon
ESports Club, during
Pokémon GO! maps and even just the everyday trips to work or the store in a carry bag!

Many of you also know that 2026 marks the 30th Anniversary of Pokémon GO! This worldwide event kicks off here in Chicago in just a few days on June 5th with the Pokémon Festival. We look forward to joining in the festivities as we know Ethan would be excited for the discovery of all that is planned in honor of the game. Remembering Ethan in honor of his love for Pokémon is an exciting Memorial Game Day event we hope you will share with us!

WHAT: JOLT-ON 2026 Memorial Game Days Pokémon Universe

Our joy in remembering Ethan’s love for Pokémon and specifically his Jolteon friend.

WHEN: June and throughout 2026

Traditionally, our Memorial Game Days’ time period starts on Ethan’s 26th Birthday and ends with his Heaven Day on June 9th. This year, you are welcome to extend out into the year ahead due to the multiple festivities in the Pokémon Universe!

Schedule: Wang Family Events to Remember

There are many ways in which we will share our memories of Ethan with Pokémon throughout this year. Some of the events you can look forward to during the Memorial Game Days are:

  • Pokémon Universe
  • Ethan’s Team: Townsville Thunderbolts
  • For the love of Pokémon Cards!
  • Field Trip: Pokémon Fossil Museum at the Chicago Field Museum
  • Honoring PUBA
  • Lego and Pokémon… who knew!
  • Pokémon sightings: Where in the world is Jolteon and other character favorites

HOW: Calling all Pokémon Trainers!

Join with us in sharing how you are remembering Ethan through the Pokémon Universe this year. Some ideas to get your creativity started…

  • Wear your favorite Pokémon gear on Ethan’s Heaven Day, June 9th and share a picture with us!
  • Host a Pokémon tournament
  • Share your Jolteon sightings in the Comments
  • Find community sharing card collections and trading with friends
  • Jolt-On! Play your favorite Pokémon Game
  • Join us online for Pokémon Universe trivia! Date TBA
  • Trek to the Chicago Field Museum to experience the Pokémon Fossil Museum between now and April, 2027

In whatever way you choose to join us… We are looking forward to all the ways you are remembering Ethan as this fourth year since his passing comes to a close. Remember, when you share in the Memorial Game Days with us, we will send you our 2026 Commemorative Pokémon stickers and wear-ables as a thank you for joining us! We are planning a special Jolteon Keychain for the 2026 Memorial Game Days.

Please share in the comments below. If you have a file or image to include, please email it to jolton@wfour.net and we will add it to your comment post.

Always Remember

26 Today…

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We still walk to the water together at sunset and dream of the sunshine over your shoulder.
We light a candle and sing happy birthday knowing you hear, missing you near.
We share your favorite cake and remember the joy of your life and birthdays past.
Sharing hope together for the Lord to redeem these years still to come…

Happy Birthday, son!

Joel 2:25-26

25 “I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten—
    the great locust and the young locust,
    the other locusts and the locust swarm—
my great army that I sent among you.
26 You will have plenty to eat, until you are full,
    and you will praise the name of the Lord your God,
    who has worked wonders for you…”

Celebrations

Graduation Day: Highly Accomplished!

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The day has arrived and we are in awe as Noah graduated with highest praise… Summa Cum Laude! Sharing pictures of the time for all to celebrate with us…

This certainly has been a day to remember and look back over these 4 years of high school. Noah leaves the halls of St Charles East High School highly accomplished. He was honored by his teachers and leaders with the following:

㊗ Summa Cum Laude
5.0 GPA all 4 years
㊗ Fleur De Lis Award
㊗ Illinois State Scholar
㊗ Department Outstanding Achievement CTE – Technology & Engineering Education
㊗ Scholarship – Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley ($1000)
㊗ Scholarship – South Dakota School of Mines Copper Scholar Award
㊗ Scholarship – South Dakota School of Mines Metallurgical Engineering Department Award
㊗ National Honors Society
㊗ Science National Honors Society
㊗ Project Synergy Award
㊗ Senior Capstone Excellence Award
D303 Cross River Engineering Showcase
㊗ Class of 2026:
“Most Likely To Take Over the World”
㊗ Class of 2026:
CTE 3D Printer Lab Honors
(3D Printer named in his honor)
㊗ November Breakfast of Champion – Technology Department
㊗ Academic Excellence:
ESports 4 Year Captain
㊗ ESports Excellent Communicator Award
㊗ Academic Excellence:
Robotics Team
㊗ Academic Excellence:
Speech & Acting 3 Year Member

Everyday Life

National College Decision Day 2026

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May 1st is here and so is an important milestone decision in our youngest son’s life… College Decision Day 2026!

In just a few weeks, Noah is set to graduate with honors from St Charles East High School, earning a 5.0 GPA. Besides his studies, he has been busy as a founding member of the STCE ESports program and serving as the Splatoon Team Captain for 4 years. He is active in Robotics, Automotive, Speech, and National Honor Society. He has built lasting friendships and student community along the way!

Noah heads out for college this fall to study Metallurgical and Mechanical Engineering. He plans on a Minor in Military Science through ROTC while on campus. He has future plans of serving as an Officer in the U.S. Army, with the ultimate goal of engineering
armored vehicles as a career.

So, where in the world will Noah be…

Please join us in celebrating Noah’s accomplishments as he graduates High School and prepares to head out to find his place in this world at THE SOUTH DAKOTA SCHOOL OF MINES in Rapid City, South Dakota. We are incredibly proud of all he has worked so hard to achieve!

Here are a few more of our favorite Grad pictures from Senior year!

Always Remember, JOLTeON!

JOLTON! 2025: Remembering Ethan’s Favorites

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It has been a full day… the grief of missing our son is never far no matter where we are or what the day is. Especially today, in the close of this third year, we chose to travel to South Dakota for time away, to draw close together and work through our thoughts from a different place. We also came to visit the South Dakota School of Mines for Noah, and it worked out for us to start our day today, the 9th of June, with a college tour of both their Mechanical Engineering and Metallurgical Engineering programs. Some would say it is an odd thing to do on the anniversary of your sons passing. I struggled at first with the timing, but we all eventually decided it could be a good focus for us on this day.

Noah with Dr. West at SD School of Mines Metallurgical Engineering Department

By the time we met with the Dean of the Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, Dr. Michael West, it became clear to me the Lord had prepared a unique way for us to see the creativity and gifted nature of both of our sons in this visit. It is no secret how much Ethan loves Organic Chemistry. It was easily his favorite subject in high school and undergraduate studies/research as he became a Materials Science Engineer in college. (See below research pictures from March of 2021)

Ethan working in research at Purdue University Organic Chemistry Lab – handling explosive organic material!

Noah also enjoys chemistry and is learning more and more as he navigates the STEM programs through high school. Dr. West encouraged us by sharing the ways in which the South Dakota School of Mines celebrates all things Organic Chemistry in view of metals on the periodic table! It took my breath away several times to see Noah working with him in a few hands-on activities… In those moments, I could visualize Ethan walking with us and cheering his brother on with excitement in each lab we entered. It certainly was a gift to encounter.

Speaking of favorites… we are reminded that our guys certainly are Studio Ghibli fans. We remember how much Ethan had wanted to see his Ghibli favorites played in their original Japanese language. Back in March, we were able to watch Ethan’s favorite Studio Ghibli movie, Princess Mononoke, in its original Japanese version. We found the story to be much richer in depth and character than what we knew it to be as dubbed in English. It was a unique experience and we wondered what Ethan would have thought about the differences in story line presented in the original Japanese version.

Ethan and Noah, Spring Break 2016 at Dr. Pepper Museum, Waco TX – Ethan wearing favorite Studio Ghibli t-shirt Princess Mononoke!

Today, we happened upon several special boxed sets of the movies with original Japanese versions: My Neighbor Totoro, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, From Up on Poppy Hill, and Kiki’s Delivery Service. We snatched them up and are eager to discover each movie again. If you choose to see any of the movies playing in theaters this summer, watch for an opportunity to view them in Japanese. It might just surprise you how much you enjoy the storytelling from the original written perspective along with the beautiful artwork and rich music.

As I end the day, closing the door on year three, I am grateful to have been filled with the wonder of Organic Chemistry today. I certainly did not plan it. However, it was a perfect way to remember Ethan. We are missing him every moment, wishing to hear his voice and see his smile all too much. I do not know what year four without him will bring… the door is now open and we will tenderly walk through it with tears for each future loss we realize along the way.

Finishing the LEGO bouquet this evening… always reminds of his love for LEGO and creativity. It really brings the color of Ethan’s life back into focus with all the flowers gathered together.

Everyday Life

JOLT-ON! 2025: Legos and Ethan… Always On Our Mind

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We are never far from Ethan when we experience LEGO. Last year was full of remembering him in the way he shared LEGO life everywhere. My good friend, Kim Wan, gifted me with a beautiful LEGO flower set as the month of May began. She knew how much it would bless me to put my hands to work in building again as the 3rd year closes.

So, I brought this set on our journey to intentionally build with us during our time walking up to June 8th and 9th this year. If you have not found the LEGO flower sets yet, they are quite detailed and create beautiful, artistic flower pieces.

I got started this evening to help keep my mind focused with all my thoughts of Ethan and missing him greatly every moment of these days.

Adding the little blue corn flowers really begins to make it a unique arrangement.

Thanks, Kim, for sending the bouquet! I will post more pics when I complete the set on Ethan’s leap day remembrance tomorrow.

Always Remember, JOLTeON!

JOLT-ON! 2025: STUDIO GHIBLI – STORIES WORTH SHARING

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“Be mindful of the world around you.” It is a statement that I have expressed to our sons over the years and intended as fatherly advice about the importance of awareness. Easily said, but sometimes difficult for young boys to visualize. I have been able to use our love of Studio Ghibli films for teachable moments about being attentive of the world we live in. More than just telling a story, these beautifully animated films offer life lessons on self-discovery, perseverance and the appreciation of everyday moments.

As we move forward into the third JOLTeON! Memorial Game Days, I am reminiscing on how Ethan shared (and for Noah as he continues to share) these films to build community, cherish relationships and embrace change across a diverse group of friends and soon-to-be friends.
These are stories worth sharing.

Check out our Game Days schedule for ideas on this summers
theater lineup and other ways to share the stories of Studio Ghibli.

Always Remember

25 Today…

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A letter to my son.

Ethan,
25 Today… I have been preparing for the days to celebrate your milestones since you were born all those years ago. To encourage you and help you know you have what it takes. In the joy of being your mom, I choose to continue to see and celebrate today on this earthly timeline… I know you hear as I speak out the joy of your life. I know you see as I make your favorites for us to remember you with… homemade Mac ‘n Cheese with the sharpest cheddar, charcuterie fixings, sushi rolls, and the simple yellow cake with chocolate frosting. Yet, wishing all the while to hear your voice and laughter in the day.

25… When I say “happy birthday…” you will answer me from your heavenly place… words I cannot hear where I am on this earthly path …Radio Silence.
So, I will turn to a few recordings which continue to stir within me the deeper longing that will never leave me. Pastor Levi speaks of this Radio Silence in chapter 22 of his book “The Last Supper on the Moon” (an aside: fitting it should be the 22nd chapter actually, if you find it in your heavenly library, I highly recommend it… on second thought, you are with Jesus whom the book is about!). I cannot help but know that the Radio Silence is broken for you now… as you stand whole and complete in the throne room of Jesus presence.

25… Standing at this doorway today, the one where you grow older elsewhere was supposed to be about watching your earthly adventures. I desperately want to see you soar with your many talents, such as in the bygone days of hockey life. Honestly, I am still in the stands shouting your name as I envision you skate effortlessly by
… go! go! go bud go!… …go! go! go ETHAN go!…
Instead, the doorway represents the separation that death is until I am beckoned homeward to the same shore. Your dash, the line between two dates, is done. How you lived in the dash is remarkable! So, I stand in the doorway now and choose to see my joy for you on your 25th birthday.

25… If you were here what would I say to impart the significance of this day? As I remember all the details of your 22 years of this earthly life, I think of how your courage, capacity and intensity interrupted our lives from the beginning. How you land on your feet, sure and strong, every where you go. How the Lord brought you to Purdue University and helped you discover what you were made for. How HE knit within you such an engineering mindset and the characteristics of… “intelligence with innovation, knowledge with great flexibility, a high degree of skill without over-training, fear but not cowardice, bravery without recklessness, self-confidence without egotism, physical skill with humility, frugal, contented, humorous without disproportion, fast reflexes without panic in a crisis, laughter with peculiarity, trusting spirit without lacking curiosity, and quick whit with care for others”. How you built community into the landscape around you, which still lives on to this day. The Lord created you to be the many faceted diamond that President Daniels described on your Graduation Day at Purdue. I know from the deepest joy of being your mom, I will wait for the Lord and I will see Him redeem these days so that I have the chance to yet again see your smile, hear your voice and tell you how much you are loved and that you have what it takes!

Until that day…

Wait for the Lord;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the Lord.
Psalm 27:14

Music by Mark Harris: The Line Between The Two

Always Remember, JOLTeON!

JOLT-ON! 2025 MEMORIAL GAME DAYS: GHIBLI ADVENTURES

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Entering 2025 was honestly very difficult. I knew it would mark another year, the 3rd, without Ethan’s physical presence. However, THIS year has another ring to the longing of sharing life with him. It would be his 25th…

In honor of Ethan’s amazing capacity to share life through creativity, artwork and story telling, we have chosen to frame this years remembering activities through his love of Studio Ghibli. To those who choose to remember Ethan with us, we invite you to look back on the years of having him near through the ways he shared it with each of us. I have learned that sharing Ethan’s joyful spirit, now that he is heavenward, brings the color of his life back into focus. So, ending year three provides another chance to remember how he loved all of us by sharing his joys with us.

WHAT: JOLT-ON 2025 Memorial Game Days remembering Ethan through the world of Studio Ghibli

Ethan loved to share his favorite characters and story elements. He found unique ways to weave Ghibli life into the days we were with him.

WHEN: May 30th through June 9th, 2025

This time period starts on Ethan’s 25th Birthday and ends with his Heaven day. You are welcome to extend out into the year ahead if your timeline of remembering is further along in the calendar.

SCHEDULE: Wang Family Events to Remember

Our Family will remember Ethan with the following activities and will share them here during the Memorial Game Days:

  • Studio Ghibli Film Festival 2025 – check your local movie theater locations for their current schedule of Ghibli fan favorite movies. You can see the full listing of movie features showcased between May 15th and the end of September this year at gkids.com.
  • Ghibli inspired art/craft activities – we will share with you the joyful ways Ethan brought the characters of Ghibli movies to life.
  • Ghibli gear. A commemorative Memorial edition t-shirt is available for Ethan’s 25th Birthday. These t-shirts are available from Stickermule.com and showcase the characters of Princess Mononoke as the 2025 JOLT-ON! graphic and are just $19 (we do not make a profit as these are sold at cost through the StickerMule website). Simply a fun way to remember and carry Ethan with us. They ship pretty fast too! Choose from:
    – San and Moro
    – Ahitaka and Yakul
  • TBD: Studio Ghibli Trivia Night – stay tuned for the date!

HOW: Set aside time to remember Ethan through the stories of Studio Ghibli

Here are some creative ideas to encourage you to join us…

  • Host a Studio Ghibli watch party with your friends and share a new title together. Two of Ethan’s favorites are Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away! Your local library should have the movies for borrowing or stream from your favorite service.
  • Play the video game Ni No Kuni I or II on the Playstation 3 or 4, PC, or Nintendo Switch platforms.
  • Create origami characters from the movies.
  • Remember food favorites and gather friends to enjoy them with you… Ghibli inspired snacks, ramen, sushi, gimbap… just to name a few!
  • Host a Ghibli themed trivia night. Encourage friends in competitive fun with the movies and characters as you gather to remember!
  • Wear a favorite Ghibli gear/t-shirt on Ethan’s would be 25th birthday (May 30th) and Leap Day (June 9th).

We are looking forward to all the ways you are remembering Ethan as this third year comes to a close! Please share in the comments below. If you have a file or image to include, please email it to jolton@wfour.net and we will add it to your comment post.