Sean D. Young

There are some people who change the course of your life simply by loving you. Sean was that person for me.

 

On April 16, 2026, I lost my partner, my home, my safest place, and the love of my life just weeks before we would have celebrated twenty years together. Even now, those words feel impossible to write. Sean was woven into every part of my life, every routine, every dream, every quiet moment that made a life together feel beautiful and safe.

 

To  know Sean was to know compassion. He gave so much of himself to the people around  him, often without asking for anything in return. Long before retirement, Sean spent years serving others as a EMT, answering calls for people on some of the worst days of their lives. He had a healer’s heart in every sense of the word. Even outside of medicine, people naturally gravitated toward him for comfort, advice, reassurance, and understanding. Sean became an unofficial therapist to so many simply because he listened without judgment, most of the time, and loved without hesitation.

 

Sean also found incredible joy working as a youth camp counselor, a role that brought out some of the very best parts of who he was. He loved mentoring, encouraging, and connecting with young people, helping them feel accepted, supported, and valued exactly as they were. Sean had a natural ability to make people feel safe and seen, and nowhere was that more evident than in the way he cared for others during his life.

 

Sean was loving, caring, and deeply empathetic, but anyone who truly knew him also knew his wonderfully sarcastic sense of humor. He could make an entire room laugh with a perfectly timed comment or dramatic look. Sean loved teasing the people he cared about most, often joking about “striking fear” into the souls of his “victims.” Whether it was playful intimidation, mock seriousness, or his talent for delivering a line with absolute commitment, Sean had a way of making people laugh until they cried. His genuine laugh was unforgettable, and it was woven into every part of who he was.

 

Sean’s love of horses began when he was a child because of a horse named Baby, a bond and memory that stayed with him throughout his entire life. Horses brought him peace, joy, and connection, and that love never faded with time. It became part of who he was — another reflection of the gentleness and compassion he carried so naturally.

 

Sean also had an incredible passion for 3D printing and loved the creativity and endless possibilities it offered. He was always excited to learn, experiment, create, and bring ideas to life. Whether he was asking me to troubleshooting a project, perfecting a design, or proudly showing off something he had made, his enthusiasm was contagious. Sean found joy in creating things that made people smile, just as he did in every other part of his life.

 

Sean was a lifelong Star Trek fan, and the values of hope, compassion, curiosity, and humanity that existed within that universe shaped so much of who he became. More than any character, Commander Dr. Beverly Crusher inspired him. Sean often credited Dr. Crusher, Chief Medical Officer of the Enterprise, with inspiring his love of medicine and his desire to care for others.

Over the years, Sean had the opportunity to meet her at several Star Trek conventions, moments that meant the world to him because he was able to personally share how deeply she had influenced his life.

 

In true Sean fashion, he always joked that he would never allow himself to rank higher than Commander in Starfleet because he refused to outrank Dr. Crusher. It was one of those small, beautiful details about him that perfectly captured both his humor and the deep sincerity behind the things he loved. Sean will forever be Commander Sean D. Young, Chief Medical Officer.

 

And while Star Trek shaped his ideals, Star Wars spoke to his spirit in another way entirely. Sean carried a deep love for Star Wars throughout his life, embracing its themes of balance, hope, discipline, and light even in darkness. Over many years, Sean followed his own personal Jedi journey, eventually earning the title of Jedi Master — something he took genuine pride in because it reflected the wisdom, patience, and kindness he tried to embody every day.

 

For eleven years, Sean poured his creativity, energy, and heart into Club ICON as Marketing and Events Manager. His events sparked joy, inspired celebration, and built community for countless people. Sean had a gift for bringing people together and making them feel  welcomed, seen, and valued. Even after retirement, his commitment to community never  faded. He proudly served as Vice President of Kenosha Pride and as a Board Member at Large for the Milwaukee Pride Parade, continuing to advocate for visibility, connection, and love within the LGBTQ+ community he cared about so deeply.

 

At home, Sean’s heart belonged just as fully to his family. Together Sean and Mike shared their lives with four beloved fur babies, two of whom crossed the rainbow bridge before Sean did. The love he gave them was the same love he gave so freely to everyone around him: unconditional, patient, gentle, and full of warmth. Our home was filled with laughter, comfort, and the quiet kind of happiness that comes from building a life with someone who truly understands your soul.

 

The grief of losing Sean is impossible to fully describe. Every memory feels like both a gift and  a heartbreak. Some moments bring laughter through tears; others leave an ache so deep it feels impossible to carry. But alongside that grief is overwhelming gratitude. Gratitude for every year, every memory, every late-night conversation, every adventure, every ordinary moment  that became extraordinary simply because it was shared with him.

 

Sean was deeply loved by so many people, and the impact he left on this world cannot be measured. He made people feel safe. He made people feel important. He made people feel loved.

 

This memorial exists to honor Sean’s life, his heart, his passions, and the incredible person he was. It is a place for stories, memories, photographs, laughter, tears, and love — because Sean deserves to be remembered in all the ways he made this world brighter.

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If you are here, thank you for loving him too.