Dylan Michael Vanormer

  Dylan Michael Vanormer, age 18, of Rolla, Missouri, passed away peacefully in the pre-dawn hours of June 14, 2018, with his family at home. Dylan was born on April 10, 2000, in Fort Leonard Wood, MO. A son to Michelle Opalio and Dale Vanormer. Dylan attended Rolla High School as well as school at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, TN, where he was treated for medulloblastoma for over 11 years, since his diagnosis in May 2007. He formed strong bonds with many of the doctors, nurses, and staff at St. Jude and thought of them as his second family. In 2017, he walked in a high school graduation ceremony for St. Jude patients. Dylan was an artist who worked primarily in spray paint on canvas, but also in oils, acrylics, wood, markers, graphite, and other media. His work is included in the permanent collection of the Missouri University of Science and Technology and was displayed in a solo show at the Public House Brewing Company in Rolla in 2014. His work has also been used in multiple fundraising campaigns by St. Jude, including on special edition packaging of Hammermill Paper. Dylan was also a daredevil who loved skydiving, whitewater rafting, parasailing, motorcycle riding, go-kart racing, swimming with sharks, fireworks, hunting, fishing, hiking, and amateur rocketry. He will also be remembered for his biting sense of humor (including the time he met first lady Michelle Obama and made both her and her detachment of Secret Service agents laugh), his love for animals, his compassion for all, and his enthusiasm for video gaming, YouTube gamer channels, horror films, raunchy TV shows, and pushing Grandma's buttons. Survivors include his father Dale Vanormer, his mother Michelle Opalio and her partner Max Tohline, sister Ciara Ashley Cubbedge, and brother Dalton Paul Vanormer. Additional survivors include, on his mother Michelle's side: Grandfather John Michael Opalio and Grandmother Beatrice (Betty) Elaine Opalio, Aunt Kathleen Szesciuk, Aunt Janine and Uncle Jim Prumachuk, and cousins Kim and Rob Smokowski, Lyndsay O'Hare, Meghan Smokowski, Warren Haycook, Joanne and Thomas Kay, Michael Kay, Mark Vervecka, and Brandon Vervecka. On his father Dale's side: Grandfather Paul Vanormer and Grandmother Linda Vanormer, Aunt Dawn and Uncle Jason Naper (cousins Kayla and Jase), and Uncle Dean and Aunt Chesca Vanormer (cousins Ariana and Kyra). He is also survived by his pets Tsar, Gizmo, Cat, and Minx. He is preceded in death by his uncle Michael Opalio, his uncle Albert Szesciuk, and his maternal great-grandparents David and Alice MacDonald and Elvio and Dorothy Opalio. He is also preceded in death by his pets Vino, Flappy, and Slate. A Celebration of Life gathering will be held on Sunday, June 24, from 1:00PM to 4:00PM at the Public House Brewing Company at 600 N Rolla St. in Rolla, MO. All are invited to drop by at any time during the gathering for as long as they wish to remember and celebrate Dylan's life. Dylan has been cremated. In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Please visit http://heroes.stjude.org/michelle-opalio to donate to Team Dylan Strong, or send a check made out to "St. Jude" to Michelle Opalio, 1611 Lincoln Ln, Rolla, MO 65401.