Nicholas Ronald "Nick" Kelsey

Nicholas Ronald Kelsey was born in Cambridge, Minnesota on January 15, 2001. He spent much of his life in the Grand Rapids area. Like all of us, he longed for family. He was very close to his sisters Amber and Keri and his brother Patrick, but unfortunately was separated from them by the imperfect wheels of life and the foster care system. At the age of 16, he chose to be adopted by Tony and Margaret Costanzo, becoming part of their large extended family.

Although Nick faced many challenges and hardships in his short life, he somehow kept a stubborn childlike hope that things would get better. His life experiences gave him empathy for the suffering of others. Nick and his girlfriend Bekka loved each other and could not wait for their new baby to arrive. He was always ready to get down on the floor to play with his nieces and nephews and Bekka's son Deklan. One of Nick's happiest moments was the day he passed his driver's license road test. He loved driving his beater vehicles (but not fixing them). He also loved animals, had a goofy sense of humor, and enjoyed playing video games as way to connect with his sisters and friends. Nick liked junk food, but recently surprised his parents with his culinary variations!

Watching Nick struggle sometimes caused sorrow to those who loved him unconditionally; but Margaret summed it up well: "Through all the ups and downs, the joys and the tears, he taught us to see the world, ourselves, and our faith in a different way. We are all a little better for having known him. He will be missed."

All of Nick's relationships were push and pull. No one should question their interactions with him or fault him for the skills he lacked in forming relationships. His family and the good friends who had the privilege of knowing him sincerely thank him for his gift of a better understanding of childhood trauma, homelessness, and addiction.

Nick passed away at his Bloomington home on December 4, 2025.

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