Caleb Post

Strong and courageous, Caleb Grayson Post passed away on January 25, 2024, after a long, hard fight with Ependymoma.
Caleb was born on August 5, 2013, in Ann Arbor, Michigan to parents, Christopher and Lisa Post. At his 4-month routine checkup doctors discovered the unimaginable, a rare brain tumor. He never knew anything outside of battling cancer, yet this didn't prevent him from living a full life.
While receiving treatments and taking part in research, Caleb traveled to numerous parts of the United States. The family made the most of every treatment location. Early on, he visited Chicago, where Caleb enjoyed visiting the zoo, aquarium, and several museums. The Rainbow Connection of Michigan gifted a Wish Trip to the family soon after. They stayed at Give Kids the World Village near Orlando, visited the various Disney theme parks, Universal Studios, and LEGOLAND. During treatment at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis the family was able to explore Graceland, Beale St., the Bass Pro Shop Pyramid, historical civil rights museums, and also grew a greater passion for music and movies. One of his favorite adventures in Orange Beach, Alabama was attending a Pirate Ship Cruise with his mom and dad. Many more travels extended to San Francisco, Cincinnati, and Seattle.
Caleb had a charismatic ability to deeply connect with others. This was evident by the deep respect of adults, school leaders, friends, family and others. Caleb attended 4th grade at Childs Elementary School and was so excited to be with his friends when he could. In the summers, he would go to cancer camps, looking forward to it every year. In 2023, Caleb visited 4 camps by himself, 3 in Michigan and 1 in Montana, as well as a few family camps. Due to his outgoing personality, he would sign up for the camp talent shows to show off his love for music, singing, and dancing.
Caleb's love for music ranged from AJR, Imagine Dragons, to Elvis. He enjoyed watching a wide variety of movies. He also was an avid Pokémon and LEGO collector and loved to play video games in his free time. Together with his mom and dad they would play Zelda, Pokémon, Super Mario Brothers, LEGO, and Just Dance video games. Caleb was active in many other ways, including soccer, swim lessons, and was presented with a Master Teacher black belt in the Kids Kicking Cancer organization. He had a blast playing mini golf, foot golf, and pickleball, and visiting water parks. Caleb was selected for the leadership team in school and volunteered for the after-school cleanup committee. He enjoyed cooking with his father and once aspired to be a chef.
Caleb and his family have been able to build many lasting memories and relationships by being members of the childhood cancer community. This brought a lot of comfort during the more difficult times. Caleb's family was able to bring an annual first pitch throw to the Detroit Tigers Comerica Park, in partnership with Kids Kicking Cancer, for September's Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. This partnership enabled him to throw out the first pitch the year it was enacted. Caleb was able to meet Stanley Johnson when he was a Detroit Piston, the Detroit Red Wings' retired Darren McCarty, and several Detroit Tigers. This year he met Detroit Lions' Aiden Hutchinson, who recently recorded a personal video for him along with sending him a personally intercepted signed football.
Caleb's bravery, positive attitude and thoughtful and kind demeanor, that persisted despite his disease, will continue to have effects well past his short life.
Caleb is preceded in death by his great-grandparent, Richard Parker; and grandparents, Joan Swartz, Larry Swain, Philip Post, and Herbert Swartz.
He is survived by his parents, Christopher and Lisa; great-grandmother, Rosemary Parker; grandma, Nancy Swain, and Diane Post; uncles and aunts, Tina (Brian) Buck, Todd (Lisa Ann) Swartz, Aaron (Amanda) Post, Susan (Derik) Gillies, Steven (Lori) Swain; and cousins, Brandon Post, Lindsey Swartz, Eric (Whitney) Lanford, Brandon Swartz, Benjamin Lanford, Max Murray, and Emma Phipps.
Please consider donating to charitable causes in Caleb's name:
Special Days Camps
P.O. Box 436
Dimondale, MI 48821
https://specialdays.org/how-to-help/donations/
Camp Catch-A-Rainbow
6941 Stony Lake Rd.
Jackson, MI 49201
https://www.ymcastorercamps.org/give/make-a-donation
Camp Quality Michigan
PO Box 345
Boyne City, MI 49712
https://www.campqualityusa.org/ways-to-help/donate/
Camp Mak-A-Dream
PO Box 1450
Missoula, MT 59806
https://www.campdream.org/ways-to-support/
CERN Foundation
https://www.cern-foundation.org/get-involved/ependymoma-fund