The purpose of human life is to serve, and to show compassion and the will to help others. (Albert Schweitzer)

He’s got a contagious grin and a warm, generous heart. Those are the defining qualities as I see them for my friend, Ethan Wagner. I should probably not leave out his amusing and playful sense of humor, as it certainly comes in handy as he parents his three very active children– Jack, Sam and Lily. His wife is a stunningly beautiful woman named Susan. I suspect he needs his quick wit to keep up with her! They live nearby, and we’ve known them for several years through our St. Louis de Montfort ties.

The Wagners are just entering the high school years with their oldest son. We are slightly ahead of them on that particular journey, which as you correctly guessed, makes us a little older than Ethan and Susan. I’m not at all sure that we are wiser, though, ha? Their son, Jack, is a freshman at Guerin Catholic with our Zach. They are both 2019 graduates of SLDM.

Ethan is an emergency room physician. His line of work means that he’s often shown up at his kids events on minimal sleep after working a crazy overnight shift in the ER. Sometimes his eyes look like little slits, but there he is anyway, determined to be present for his kiddos. He cheers with volume and enthusiasm, just like yours truly. I love passion, so I say bring it on! Those three children of his are incredibly blessed to have a dad who is incredibly supportive and ever present for them. It’s inspiring to me, especially on those days when I can see he’s utterly exhausted. He never fails to smile, even on the days when his eyelids are extra heavy. I have mad respect for you, Ethan!

Many times, friends have called on this generous man to give them some medical assistance when there’s been an injury or accident of some kind. He’s even called the Thieme house to offer his guidance (and a house call if necessary) when our family was the one in need. He’s compassionate and kind like that. His is a life lived in service of others, often in times of dire need.

Today, on National Kindness Day, I wanted to offer a little shout out to a kind man named Dr. Ethan Wagner. He’s pictured above with his beautiful family. You, sir, are the real deal! Thank you for making the world a better, more compassionate place to inhabit!