ARTICLE FROM NW INDIANA TIMES, APRIL 29, 2025:
by Grace Opinker
Hobart's Brendan Black celebrates his state
wrestling championship in the 138-pound
weight class in 2017 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse
in Indianapolis. John J. Watkins file, The Times
HOBART — Brendan Black was known to live with a spark, and bond with everyone around him.
"He was there for everybody, even before himself," his mom Kylee Black recalled. "He had a smile that would light up a room and a funky style that made everyone admire."
Black's smile was noticeably present when he was spending time with his high school sweetheart Olivia and their two daughters, Drew Mackenzie and Charlie Valerie, scaffolding for Carpenters Local 1005 or competing on the wrestling mat.
<-- Olivia VanNieulande, left, and Brendan Black were high school sweethearts at Hobart. The couple share two daughters, Drew and Charlie, together.
Provided by Kylee Black
After struggling with depression, the 26-year-old Valparaiso resident has fought his final match. He died Friday.
Growing up, Black became well-known across Northwest Indiana for his talent in wrestling.
"With the wrestling community — it gave him drive, purpose and multiple other family and friends, coaches and bonds," Kylee Black said. "Wrestling is a sport that not everybody's built for — it's a sport of strong mental capacity and discipline."
His mom admitted he found passion and drive through wrestling and scaffolding, but his happiest moment was when he became a father.
"He loved his career," Kylee Black said. "He would post videos of him doing crazy, scary jobs that didn't always make me feel great, but he loved it."
Brendan was forced to stop scaffolding in 2023 after he was diagnosed with narcolepsy. Kylee Black said he again found his purpose when surrounded by his immediate family.
"Brendan's greatest joy in life was being a partner to Olivia and father to his daughters," Kylee Black wrote in his obituary. "They were the light of his world and he loved them with a depth and devotion that words can hardly capture."
Some of his fondest memories were spent at the park with his family, chasing laughter and soaking in every smile, his mom recalled. She said he poured his whole heart into fatherhood, and his spirit will forever live on through his girls.
A service in Brendan's honor will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at Geisen Funeral Home in Crown Point. Additional visitation will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at First Methodist Church in Crown Point. A luncheon will be held at Seasons Lakehouse in Crown Point following the burial at Salem United Methodist Cemetery in Hebron.
To celebrate Brendan's passion for wrestling and athletics, guests are encouraged to wear their favorite wrestling attire to his service.
"Whether it's from Hobart High, Michigan State or your own wrestling journey — wear it for Brendan," Kylee Black said. "He would have loved that."
A GoFundMe titled "Help Brendan's Family Continue His Legacy" was created Monday to assist Brendan's family. Kylee Black said her family has received an outpouring of support from those who Brendan positively impacted. His life will live on in those who he touched, she added.
"Brendan lived with a spark. He loved life and he loved his people fiercely. A true dreamer, he carried a warm, generous heart and spirit," his mom said. "He was a devoted father, son, partner and friend, and he brought joy, laughter and strength to every room he walked in."
This article was obtained from: https://www.nwitimes.com/sports/high-school/wrestling/article_b604c2b8-c71b-49e5-9ea9-e3957166bb78.html?utm_source=nwitimes.com&utm_campaign=news-alerts&utm_medium=cio&lctg=ecf30701ee429fad02&tn_email_eh1=64c9dc7dbd6f164d07f897794c3c6b982c8315a7563fa767c16ea5c515f1d35e.
OBITUARY FROM BIOJOURNAL.SITE WEBSITE:
Brendan Black Obituary, Hobart, IN 26-year-old Cherished Wrestling Reportedly Passed away.
Brendan Drew Black Death: It is with broken hearts and deep sorrow that we gather to remember and honor the life of Brendan Drew Black, a beloved son, partner, father, grandson, brother, teammate, and friend. Brendan passed away on Friday, April 25, 2025, at just 26 years old, leaving behind a legacy of love, determination, and unwavering spirit that will continue to inspire all who knew him.
Brendan was born and raised in Hobart, Indiana, where he quickly made his mark as a young man with extraordinary passion and drive. A proud graduate of Hobart High School, Class of 2017, Brendan’s name is forever etched in the school’s history as a State Champion wrestler. His dedication to wrestling was unmatched, and his perseverance and heart on the mat became symbols of his character off of it as well. Brendan also gave his time and energy to the Hobart Brickie Football team, embodying teamwork, strength, and resilience.
After high school, Brendan continued to chase his dreams on the wrestling mats at Michigan State University, proudly representing the Spartans with the same grit and heart that had defined his high school career. His love for the sport was deeply rooted, but so was his love for hard work and building a life for himself and his family. After college, Brendan pursued a career as a skilled carpenter with Local #1005, where he was admired not just for his craftsmanship but for his strong work ethic, kindness, and team spirit.
Brendan’s proudest role, however, was not as a champion athlete or a talented craftsman, but as a devoted partner to Olivia VanNieulande and a loving father to his precious daughters, Drew and Charlie. Brendan’s face would light up at the mere mention of his girls. They were the heart of his world. His happiest moments were simple yet profound—pushing his daughters on swings, chasing after their laughter in the park, and soaking in the beauty of every smile they shared. Brendan poured every ounce of his love into fatherhood, and his spirit will continue to live on in Drew and Charlie, in the kindness they show and the strength they carry.
Family meant everything to Brendan. He was a devoted son to Kylee (Cassandra Zaremba) Bult-Black and Shawn Black, and he cherished the support and love of his “other mother,” Kim Fricke. His bond with his maternal grandparents, Jayne and Jim “Dude” Spencer, and paternal grandparents, Robin and Robert Black, was deep and enduring. His siblings, Anna Black and David Anderson, his extended Triana family, and his countless aunts, uncles, cousins, and dear friends were all blessed to be part of Brendan’s wide and welcoming heart.
Though his life was tragically short, Brendan lived it with a spark that few could match. He loved fiercely, dreamed boldly, and gave freely. His laughter was infectious, his loyalty was unwavering, and his heart was big enough to hold room for anyone who needed a friend. Brendan’s faith was a steady and quiet guide in his life, shaping him into a man who believed in doing right, loving deeply, and living fully.
Brendan’s family invites friends to celebrate his life during visitations on Friday, May 2, 2025, at Geisen Funeral, Cremation & Reception Centre in Crown Point, Indiana, from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. A further visitation and funeral service will be held on Saturday, May 3, 2025, at First United Methodist Church, with Pastor Tony Sorci officiating. Details of the church location will be shared shortly.
In honor of Brendan’s enduring love for wrestling and the pride he carried as an athlete, the family kindly asks all guests to wear their favorite wrestling shirts—whether from Hobart High School, Michigan State, or their own wrestling journeys. Brendan would have loved seeing his community united in such a heartfelt and meaningful tribute to his life and passion.
Brendan’s journey reminds us all that greatness is not only found in victories on the mat but in the kindness we show, the love we give, and the lives we touch. Though our hearts are heavy with grief, we are grateful for the time we had with Brendan, for the memories he created, and for the lessons he taught us about living life with courage, love, and joy.
Rest easy, Brendan. You fought the good fight, you finished the race, and you kept the faith. We will carry your spirit with us always.
[The link is not posted here, as it was flagged as an unsafe website in two different browsers.] The picture above was obtained from the 2017 HHS Memories yearbook, made available by the Lake County Public Library, at: https://archive.org/details/hohs-2017-images/.