Sean Baek

2001 - 2020

Baek, Sean Michael

MCFARLAND - This will be no ordinary obituary. Sean Michael Baek is no ordinary individual. Every parent would say the same thing; should say the same thing.

For 18 years and 264 days, Sean lived with us here on earth. During that time, he was in the next room, just a phone call away or as close as the reach of an outstretched hand. But on Feb. 14, 2020, due to an unintentional, tragic accident, he moved on to a different realm and though we have absolutely no doubt that he lives on, it is not the same and we are heartbroken.

Born to his proud parents, Kristin Stanke Erickson and Michael Gerald Baek, on May 26, 2001, Sean arrived a month early to the day and was on the move every day thereafter.

Tremendously bright and caring, few could make others laugh like Sean could. His smile lit up a room and when he crossed paths with strangers or with those he knew, he welcomed them with that smile. To say he brought joy into the lives of people is an understatement.

From the time he was tiny, Sean's personality was consistent: very happy, energetic, creative, insatiably curious, compassionate, whip smart and headstrong. Sean's gift of persuasion was legendary. We often told him he should become a lawyer due to his love of a good debate. No matter what the subject was, or how certain you were that you were absolutely right, Sean would convince you of the validity of his point in short order.

In December of 2004, when Seanny was three, he was delighted when Brady Ernest joined the family. Brady was born three months early, and Sean took his responsibilities as a big brother seriously, scrubbing in at the hospital thoroughly so he could hold his three-pound baby brother. "I am going to teach him how to ride my ATV," Sean announced, eventually doing just that and teaching him a whole lot more. Many years later, he would come to the rescue of both Brady and his mom when algebra got the best of both of them. But their most meaningful moments were built on a foundation of family traditions, love and laughter. When Sean went back to college in January of this year, a month before the accident occurred, the two said goodbye, then took time to perfect a "brother handshake." They love each other deeply.

Sean's life changed drastically at five when he was diagnosed with Type 1 Juvenile Diabetes. Yet he took the tremendous changes the diagnosis brought to his daily life in stride, and, a year later, was excited when he was chosen to represent that year's Fund a Cure family by the Western WI Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Association. Proud to be wearing his first tuxedo to the annual gala, his head barely peeked above the podium as he looked up to the mic and simply said what was most important: "Please find a cure."

During his years at McFarland High School, he joined the McFarland Golf Team, for which he received a letter, was a member of DECA and sang in the choir from middle school through high school. Like his maternal grandparents, who were musicians, Sean is naturally gifted. He taught himself to play the guitar, has a beautiful voice, and became a member of Kittens Mittens, an excellent boys' acapella group.

He always got good grades but they became even better in high school, where he remained on the honor roll throughout, took a number of college-level classes and received a scholarship upon graduation. Still, he always insisted that he majored in making others laugh. That was his forte.

Sean absolutely loved college at the UW-Milwaukee, had just switched his major to Business and was thriving, getting A's in almost every subject.

Grades don't make the man, however. More important is the way one treats others. Sean not only achieved on an academic level, but he always treated people with courtesy, kindness and compassion.

Sadly, Sean experienced a great deal of loss in his life from 2010-2013, when many beloved family members passed away, including his great-grandfather (Byron) Dolgner, his grandpa (Jerry Baek), his granny (Ann Stanke), his uncle Craig (Stanke), his cousin Jay (Nania) and, more recently, his uncle John (Stanke).

However, he learned much about the art of fishing from his grandpa, Jerry, an expert outdoorsman, and attended his first opera with his granny, who managed Madison Opera for decades. We also taught him to play poker (and regretted it when he started winning), but the times he cherished most were the many family traditions when it was just the four of us (and a varying number of Pomeranians).

Sean was fortunate to pack a great deal of extraordinary experiences into his life on earth that was far too short. Nevertheless, we are incredibly grateful for the memories. Family vacations resulted in trips to Washington, D.C., visits to relatives in Oregon followed by a drive down the coast to visit more relatives in San Francisco, trips to Disney World and Dollywood and the annual tradition he and his dad loved: a seven-day pilgrimage to Canada with his "Uncle" Brad and Brad's extended family, during which they fished with the dedication necessary to return with their limit of northern pike and walleye. He also loved the many drives up north to the small town of Phillips, Wis., where his beloved grandma, Shirley (Baek), lives. And, last October, we spent a long weekend in Chicago to visit the museums and see "Hamilton." At lunch, the family made fun of his mom for texting a note to ask if we could go backstage after the show to take a tour and meet the leads. Twenty minutes after the show ended, nobody was laughing when we all found ourselves onstage with the actors who played Alexander Hamilton, George Washington and Aaron Burr.

Sean is blessed to have wonderful friends. Among the closest are Adam, Andrew, Annie, Eric, Gavin, Greta, Kimmy (his "diabestie"), Matthew, Oliver and Tess.

We would be remiss not to thank the many people who reached out to help us after Sean went missing. So many wonderful people reached out, offering to help in any way they could, and didn't ask for a dime. We're also incredibly thankful to the McFarland community – strangers and friends alike – and are especially thankful for the help given to us by Michelle Alswager Bauer and Robin Kopp, who arranged for people to shower us with meals, with care and with love. But above all, we are thankful to Scotty Rorek, who provided us with the best gift imaginable.

There are two more relationships that must be acknowledged separately. One is his relationship with Fintan, whom Sean met online before middle school. A couple years his senior, Fintan and Sean became close and stayed that way, spending countless hours playing video games and talking about their deepest feelings. The virtual nature of their relationship was a necessity; Fintan lives in Ireland. But Player 1 and Player 2 will forever be brothers.

The other relationship was one Sean shared with a wonderful young woman named Isabella, who is as beautiful on the outside as she is within. They fell in love during Sean's senior year of high school and love one another deeply. It is a love that will last.

The pain we feel because Sean isn't here with us physically every day is indescribable but we are comforted beyond measure to know he still lives on; he's just with us in a different way. Hence the difficulty to begin this obituary with the announcement of his death. Sean Michael Baek is not dead. He is alive and well and living on in a place some call "the other side." Trust us when we tell you we have enough evidence to know this is the truth.

And here's what he would like you all to know: Life is all about love. Please live for today. Not for tomorrow. Not for five years from now. But for today. And as you live your long and wonderful lives here on earth, think of Sean once in a while. You can be sure he will be thinking about you.

Memorials in Sean's name may be sent either to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation at http://www2.jdrf.org/goto/seanbaek to help find a cure for juvenile diabetes or to The Sean Baek Foundation established via Go Fund Me at https://www.gofundme.com/sean-baek-foundation. A scholarship in his name will be given to a McFarland High School student each year.

A Celebration of Life will take place as soon as we can safely have one. The date and time will appear on Facebook and Instagram.