The Atkinson family joined the Jolt-On! Memorial Game Days on Ethan’s birthday to champion game time at their home. I sure wish I could have joined them in person as their chosen game was SuperFight! This is a personal favorite of Ethan’s… especially during Middle and High School years. There is something awesome about assuming a character and crazy attributes in pursuit of the best battle story. He loved the super powers and corresponding super problems that were presented and then the ridiculous story argument that followed. We always enjoyed great laughs every time the cards came out.
I am told the characters in this particular SuperFight were:
Conan
Attributes: 6 inches tall and floating down on a parachute
Abraham Lincoln
Attributes: with X-Ray vision and could become whatever is touched
T-Rex
Attributes: Matches the size of opponents and throws 200 mph fastballs
Now that is quite the SuperFight! I have a hunch Abraham Lincoln was quite the formidable opponent… but then I can also see Conan and T-Rex using their new attributes to make an explosive challenge. That would be hard to judge if you ask me! Thank you Atkinson family for sharing the fun of your game night with us!
Ethan’s long time friends came together on Wednesday, May 31st… Minecraft was the perfect game of choice to highlight the time of remembering their friend through games. Everyone lives in separate places now, some near and some far. I remember the days of elementary, middle and high school when it was just a short drive from house to house in order to be in community with each other.
Check out the results of their Minecraft shenanigans below!
I am especially touched by how the time helped them remember him…
As is customary, the game was preceded by an hour of IT troubleshooting, but miraculously it worked. Playing video games, it was a toss up whether Ethan was going to be competitive, or a carefree agent of chaos. In Minecraft he was usually the latter. It was really nice to get together and remember the jovial spirit Ethan would bring to games.
One thing I particularly loved about Ethan was his ability to meet people where they were. While gaming he adopted different attitudes and playstyles to make sure everyone was included and having a fun time. He also stayed up way too late on school nights to accommodate the night owls (though i wish he prioritized sleep a little more). That’s the kind of person he was.
Comment taken from the original Game Days posting
Thank you all! We carry such wonderful memories of all of you along with our son!
I just got back from my women’s bible study friends Game Nite. We met tonight, Friday, June 2nd (2023), for an evening of fellowship and competition (I truly did not know how competitive some of my friends really are!). Our leader, Sharon, provided the location and we all brought games to consider. In addition, we shared snacks and desserts and fun conversation.
Our game lineup started with a long round of the game Left-Center-Right. This is usually a fast paced dice game where players exit and enter the game at random based on the throw of up to three dice. The winner takes home the “loot” pile as the last person with any tokens. We made it a bit long by choosing to give everyone 25 pennies as their passing tokens… it gave us a lot of time to share and talk during the game play. Maureen was the ultimate winner (all of $2.00 worth!) and we crowned her the Game Queen!
There were so many games to consider this evening. We ended the night with the hilarious game of Say Anything! As we took turns, parts of this game got me thinking of what Ethan would say. The major part of the game is to pose a question to your opponents. Saying the phrase “In my opinion” before every question helps to remind everyone to think of the speaking player when providing an answer. So, when I heard the question, “In my opinion, what is the best lego model?” I could not resist thinking of an answer that Ethan would have said!
It was a fun night with everyone sharing stories and laughter. I have not had the ability to laugh like that for a long time now. Oh the healing power of games! It is not surprising to me that I also felt less stressed coming home tonight. I know this is a major reason Ethan engaged others in game play so often… after all, life can be stressful. Several women in our group commented that they had not laughed out loud in a very long time. I hope we can find more time for stress relieving fellowship and maybe play Pitnext round, Ladies!
The Jolt-On! Memorial Game Days Game Pass event at the Boiler Game Mine last Tuesday, May 30th was a great success! It was our honor to have been able to share this great space with the Purdue and West Lafayette, Indiana community. In this game replay, we are sharing some of the fun that happened on Ethan’s 23rd Birthday…
Our sponsored Game Pass time at the Boiler Game Mine started at 4pm on Tuesday May 30th, 2023, in celebration of the Esports efforts at Purdue over this last academic year and Ethan Wang’s 23rd birthday.
The generous staff of the Boiler Game Mine welcomed gamers through the afternoon and evening. For those coming to the Boiler Game Mine for the first time, the staff provided one on one game challenges on the Nintendo Switch and XBox console along with giveaways of Free 1 hour gaming coupons to those who participcated. In these photos, I recognize several faces of Ethan’s friends and fellow Esports gamers whom were able to come enjoy the space. One friend from Campus House noted:
The day was full but I made it with just enough time to catch the end and talk with a couple of friends who were there. What a cool idea! I remembered Ethan’s calm presence with a joyful heart yesterday. Thank you for the invite!
Cupcakes were provided through Baked by Brittaney, a Boilermaker owned bakery in West Lafayette, IN. Ethan’s favorite… yellow cake with chocolate frosting were enjoyed by all!
We are very grateful for the leadership of the Purdue University Recreation & Wellness staff, along with the Purdue Memorial Union and Boiler Game Mine Management whom came alongside us to make the event possible. Jason Maynard and Travis Huston were hugely present in the planning and bringing ideas for the event. They assisted us with promoting the event throughout the Purdue Memorial Union in the days and weeks during May, 2023. On the big screens in the Mine, Travis graciously gave us the ability to share some of the highlights during the last year that have brought this space into reality through the efforts of Jason Maynard (Recreation & Wellness). Jason continued the work that Ethan started alongside him on campus before his passing.
You can read more about Ethan’s capacity to bring forward the Esports program at Purdue University on our post for the event, Capacity: Esports at Purdue. There are also links to several of the current Esports Clubs through the University website if you are interested in being involved! If you missed it this year, we are looking forward to providing future Game Pass events from time to time in Ethan’s honor. In addition, we are always staying in touch with the Esports club leaders of Splatoon @ Purdue and Battle Association @ Purdue for support of their seasons efforts. Be on the look out for what comes next!
If you were able to attend the Game Pass event, head to the comments below and tell us about your time! Not on campus or able to attend? Not a problem, head back to our Game Days Schedule to see what is coming up next for the remainder of the Jolt-On! Memorial Game Days!
It has been a privilege to continue to support the Esports community that our son enjoyed during his undergraduate years (2018-2022) at Purdue University. Intensely involved as player and President for both Splatoon @ Purdue and Purdue University Battle Association (a Pokémon Draft League) during the 2021-2022 seasons, Ethan was determined to build a lasting legacy. Through his capacity to lead, collaborate with University leadership and mentor teams, Ethan brought forward improvements to better the gaming scene on campus.
ITaP (Inkling Technology at Purdue) Competitive Team – Ethan (right) “head Inkling”
During his leadership time with Splatoon @ Purdue, Ethan was purposeful to encourage student leaders and membership towards involvement in all areas of club life. The current leadership carries on that legacy as a community which encourages everyone to be involved. The Club encourages recreational through competitive play. In addition to playing the game of Splatoon 3, members are invited to take initiative toward fundraising, building membership attendance, tournament roles and overall campus community. In the video below, created by Zach Nahorski, hear from Ethan and other members on what involvement in the life of the club is all about:
Thank you to Zach Nahorski, Vice President of Splatoon @ Purdue (2022-2023), for providing this awesome video!
In the spring of 2022, excitement grew as the Club, under Ethan’s leadership as President, worked with RecWell staff to host an Intercollegiate Invitational Tournament. The tournament took place at Purdue University (West Lafayette, IN campus) vs Michigan State.
“Purdue’s match against Michigan State was the first-ever known match between official collegiate Splatoon club teams. Members of Splatoon @ Purdue hope the event and connections with other collegiate clubs will encourage more student organizations to form club teams and establish collegiate events.”
Ethan Wang, excerpt from Spring 2022 interview with Student Life staff writer, Matt Vader
While Ethan is now no longer with us, his legacy will continue on for years to come. Jason Maynard, Sr Assistant Director of Sport Programs (RecWell) worked with Ethan to bring forward a number of institutional developments in the realm of Esports. The Boiler Game Mine, which opened November of 2022, is the completion of the vision Ethan had to provide a dedicated space for Esports teams and the gaming community on campus. We honor our sons legacy on his 23rd birthday by sponsoring this afternoons Game Pass for fellow Boilermakers and the West Lafayette community to enjoy all that Ethan envisioned it could become.
Find out more about Esports at Purdue University (West Lafayette, IN) on the Purdue University Club websites listed below:
PMU Boiler Game Mine Info on access to the Game Mine at the Purdue Memorial Union
Happy Birthday, Son. Our first without you birthday. Really unspeakable what it is to wake up to today and not have you here. All I can do is hold onto the time we had with you at your birthday last year. I am focused on eternity, taking it all to Jesus… until I see you again. All my love, xoxo Mom
Anna Golden “Take it to Jesus”
22nd Birthday… a simple (and favorite) gluten free yellow cake with chocolate frosting
Look at that smile… Today marks one year since the most beautiful day… Graduation Day at Purdue University. Ethan earned his Materials Science Engineering undergraduate degree on May 13th, 2022. I recall him dancing into Elliot Hall in the processional as the graduates took their places. The Materials Engineering Class of 2022 was a small niche group seated directly in front of the massive Mechanical Engineering section.
The excitement in the auditorium rose as the divisions were announced and students began to rise and receive their degrees. I took this shot of the big screen at that very moment when Ethan received his. Just amazing!
I recall the roar of engineers as each division was called to rise and proceed to the platform. It was just incredible. After the ceremony, we found Ethan on the lawn outside of Elliot hall near the Engineering fountain. We stood taking pictures and marveling at the beauty of the day. Then we walked down the mall one last time to Armstrong Hall to join his fellow Materials Engineering professors and graduates in further celebration of their accomplishment.
We were treated to all the energy of a Big Ten University as they celebrated the largest School of Engineering undergraduate class in history that Spring… the amazing voices of the Purdue Men’s Glee Choir and Orchestra. President Daniels keynote speech to the graduates expressed to each and every one of them the idea that they are not one dimensional. Rather, they would make their mark and continue growing and learning. He proudly stated they were “about to add another facet to their diamond that is you as you receive your degree.”
It feels sadly surreal now, one year later. At times, I find myself unable to contain the overwhelming desire I have to see Ethan carrying out his purpose in the world of materials. I am still just as proud of him as I was on graduation day… only now I await the time when heaven is brought here on this earth, resurrection day and the ceremony God has planned for the new life that is waiting. We are promised that God will redeem it. I know I will get to see Ethan use those amazing gifts… Until I see you rise… waiting for that day.
“For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first..”
1 Thessalonians 4:16
Joyful Grad…Armstrong Hall 2022Moving Out of First Street.“I’m The Rollerblade Guy”After our tour on the Boilermaker Express!
In my last writing, you saw our boys enjoying brotherly time together. Even though Noah and Ethan are more than 7 years apart, it was beautiful to watch them grow up together. I recall remarking often how Ethan just had God’s ear. Anytime he set to praying for something, it seemed that sooner or later he had an answer… January 31st snow storm of 2011, Ethan prayed for 2ft of snow (all in the hopes of not having to head back to school so early the next day!). We woke the next morning to almost exactly that!!
There was one time even more precious than that snow storm though… it was the day Ethan determined to pray for a brother. Before age 5, we could see Ethan was ready to share life with someone else along side. December 2006, tired of waiting, Ethan wrote at the top of his Christmas list…“#1. A Brother”.
We helped him understand that God is the one who determines if he would have a sibling. We encouraged him to simply pray and trust that God would answer him. It was such an amazing gift a few months later when we learned we were expecting our second child! We tried to set expectations for Ethan. Explaining, just because God was answering his prayer, it did not mean that he would automatically receive a brother... Ethan was so confident that God was going to give him a brother though. To our delight, in November that year, Noah was born.
Our guys are true brothers! Challenging each other in just about every way. However, for all of their competition, there is a sweet bond they both share.
Both having highly creative minds, Ethan loved to take Noah’s ideas and spin them into reality. Countless lego builds, video/stop motion projects and forts were built over the years. Loving all things StarWars (Clones, droids, and every kind of battle ship), Legos and science projects, mini-golf, riding bikes, playing “shinny hockey” in the hallway or street hockey in the driveway. They were always about time together, just hanging out.
June 2022Always Michef!
In those days together, Noah studied his older brother well. He could keep up with the quick witted teenager even before he grew to be double digits himself. They are both equally good at remembering movie lines and hilarious sayings… not to mention using them to frame moments in our days. To have two boys growing up in our home provided days full of energy and joy! At times when it is quiet, I remember the noise of my guys and think about how much Noah also needs a brother…
Thank you, Ethan, for praying for Noah… even more than that, for trusting God had your back in the answer!
Love you both, Mom
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