Ethan David White, a 22-year-old University of Michigan graduate and former Michigan Marching Band snare drummer from Ann Arbor, died on August 31, 2026, after a lengthy battle with diffuse midline glioma (DMG), an aggressive brain cancer. Diagnosed in March 2024 at just 20 years old, Ethan spent more than two years confronting a disease that dramatically changed his college experience but never completely took away the humour, friendships, writing, travel and Michigan traditions he loved. He graduated cum laude from U-M in 2025 despite spending more than half of his college years fighting cancer. His death has prompted an outpouring of grief from family, friends and the Michigan Marching Band community.
Ethan David White of Ann Arbor, Michigan, died August 31, 2026, at age 22 following a battle with diffuse midline glioma, a rare and aggressive brain tumor. A 2025 University of Michigan graduate, Ethan was a Michigan Marching Band snare drummer, sports writer and passionate Wolverines supporter whose determination during more than two years of cancer treatment inspired people across the U-M community.
Ethan White Dies After Battle With Diffuse Midline Glioma
Ethan White of Ann Arbor lived with diffuse midline glioma for more than two years.
His cancer journey began in March 2024.
Ethan was a University of Michigan student, psychology and pre-med student, writer and snare drummer when he began experiencing problems using his right hand and leg.
An MRI ultimately revealed a diffuse midline glioma deep within his brain.
ChadTough Defeat DIPG Foundation records Ethan’s diagnosis date as March 16, 2024. The organisation describes DMG as a rare, incurable and highly aggressive brain tumor.
His diagnosis transformed the life of a young man who had been immersed in university life.
Instead of allowing cancer to completely define the years that followed, Ethan tried to continue participating in the people, places and activities that mattered to him.
His motto became: “beat the odds at all costs.”
And for more than two years, that was precisely what he tried to do.
Ethan White Defied the Initial Prognosis
The prognosis Ethan received was devastating.
Doctors told him that patients with his disease often survived only nine to twelve months.
Ethan went on to live for nearly two and a half years following his March 2024 diagnosis.
During that time, treatment became a major part of everyday life.
ChadTough documented that Ethan underwent two rounds of radiation and multiple targeted drug therapies. He later developed hydrocephalus, a buildup of fluid in the brain that caused headaches, memory difficulties and weakness on his right side.
Doctors placed a shunt to relieve the pressure, although Ethan continued dealing with problems affecting his vision, balance, strength and mobility.
His illness was terminal, but Ethan repeatedly spoke about continuing to show up for life even when doing so became extraordinarily difficult.
A Remarkable University of Michigan Graduation
One of Ethan’s most significant achievements came in 2025 when he graduated from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.
He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology cum laude.
That accomplishment carried additional meaning because cancer treatment occupied more than half of Ethan’s college experience.
He had entered Michigan expecting the ordinary challenges and opportunities of university life.
Instead, at 20, he was confronted with a diagnosis that changed virtually everything.
Still, Ethan continued his education.
He wrote.
He remained connected to his friends.
He stayed involved with Michigan athletics and the marching band whenever his health allowed.
And he completed his degree.
Michigan Marching Band Was Central to Ethan’s Life
For Ethan, few experiences brought as much happiness as the Michigan Marching Band.
He was a snare drummer in the Michigan Marching Band Drum Line and also enjoyed performing with the hockey band.
His time with the band gave him opportunities to participate in some of the biggest moments in college sport.
Those experiences included the Tournament of Roses Parade, Rose Bowl, College Football National Championship and NCAA Hockey Frozen Four.
The University of Michigan Marching Band confirmed Ethan’s death in a tribute, remembering its recent graduate and snare drummer as a bright presence whose enthusiasm brought happiness to many people around him.
Even when cancer eventually prevented him from performing, Ethan’s relationship with his drumline family continued.
He attended practices when physically able and remained connected on game days.
Ethan White Became an Honorary Michigan Football Captain
One of the most memorable moments of Ethan’s final years happened at Michigan Stadium in 2025.
By then, cancer had taken away his ability to perform normally with the marching band.
But Ethan returned to the Big House in a different role.
The University of Michigan named Ethan an honorary captain for its August 30, 2025 football game against New Mexico.
Michigan Athletics officially identified him as a U-M senior, Michigan Marching Band Drumline member and student battling diffuse midline glioma.
Ethan addressed the Wolverines inside the locker room.
His message was shaped by everything cancer had taught him.
He told the players that people can prepare and do everything correctly and still encounter something completely outside their control.
What mattered, he suggested, was appreciating the opportunity to continue playing while that opportunity remained.
It was a perspective few 22-year-olds acquire.
For Ethan, it had come at an enormous cost.
Ethan’s Cancer Journey Reached a National Audience
By 2026, Ethan’s experience had become part of the wider discussion surrounding research into diffuse midline glioma.
His story was featured in national reporting about advances in treating the disease.
A July 2026 report recounted how Ethan first realised something was wrong during drum practice when he struggled to feel the muscles in his right hand gripping his drumstick.
Soon afterward, additional physical symptoms emerged, ultimately leading to his March 2024 diagnosis.
The disease Ethan faced remains particularly devastating because of where these tumors develop and the difficulty involved in treating them.
Yet his final years coincided with meaningful progress in DMG research.
Treatment Under Dr. Carl Koschmann
Ethan received treatment under Dr. Carl Koschmann, Clinical Research Director at the Chad Carr Pediatric Brain Tumor Center at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital.
His treatment combined established approaches with newer targeted therapies.
Among the treatments associated with Ethan’s journey was ONC201.
ChadTough has highlighted the therapy’s regulatory progress as a major development after years of research into DIPG and DMG. The organisation has also documented its investment in research and clinical infrastructure intended to move treatment options forward.
For Ethan and families facing similar diagnoses, those scientific developments were never abstract.
They represented time, possibility and hope.
Ethan White and ChadTough Defeat DIPG
Ethan also developed a meaningful connection with the ChadTough Defeat DIPG Foundation.
He participated in the 12th annual RunTough event and served as its honorary horn puller.
Surrounded by supporters, fellow Wolverines, friends and family, Ethan helped send runners and walkers onto the course.
The event raises awareness and support for children and young adults affected by DIPG and DMG.
Ethan’s family also received significant community support during his treatment.
A fundraiser organised for the family following his diagnosis documented the enormous response from friends and supporters as Ethan underwent treatment.
A Writer and Michigan Sports Fan
Music was only one side of Ethan’s creative life.
He was also described by his family as a talented writer.
At Michigan, he tried his hand at covering different sports for The Michigan Daily.
He also helped co-host the Highway to Hail podcast covering University of Michigan sports.
Those interests brought together several important parts of his personality: writing, sport, humour and his deep connection to Michigan.
His experiences at U-M were therefore about far more than earning a degree.
Michigan became a community where he wrote, performed, travelled, watched sports, made close friends and eventually faced the greatest challenge of his life.
Family and Friends Remember Ethan White
Ethan was the beloved son of Michelle Sherman and Dr. Eric White.
He was a big brother to Rebecca White and the late Lauren White.
His family obituary also remembers his grandmother Gail White.
He was preceded in death by grandfather Edward White and grandparents Shirley and Jerry Sherman.
Aunts, uncles, cousins and a large group of friends also formed the community surrounding Ethan.
His obituary emphasises that he made friends easily but did not treat those relationships casually.
Many developed into deep and lasting friendships.
People close to Ethan remember his hugs, humour and ability to deliver a clever one-liner even during incredibly difficult circumstances.
Travel, Friendship and Finding Joy
Ethan loved travelling.
He enjoyed experiencing places he had never previously visited and learning about their people, culture and food.
That curiosity continued alongside his passion for sport and music.
His family remembers him as a thoughtful travel companion who rarely wanted to miss an opportunity to explore somewhere new.
It is one reason Ethan’s story cannot be reduced simply to cancer.
He lived approximately 20 years before DMG entered his life.
Even after diagnosis, he continued searching for experiences that gave his days meaning.
“Keep Showing Up”
Perhaps the strongest theme running through Ethan’s final years was his determination to keep participating in life.
He openly acknowledged that he was not fearless.
He acknowledged that treatment hurt.
He acknowledged there were days when continuing felt extraordinarily difficult.
But he kept returning to the idea of showing up.
That meant showing up for treatment.
Showing up for his family.
Showing up for friends.
Showing up for the marching band when his body allowed it.
And showing up at Michigan Stadium even when he could no longer hold drumsticks the way he once had.
That attitude turned Ethan’s personal battle into something that inspired people who had never met him.
Ethan White Funeral Service
Ethan’s funeral service is scheduled for Thursday, September 3, 2026, at 11:00 a.m.
The service will take place at:
Temple Beth Emeth
2309 Packard Street
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Rabbi Joshua Whinston will officiate.
Published obituary information confirms the September 3 service and states that arrangements are being handled by The Ira Kaufman Chapel.
Shiva arrangements shared by the family include gatherings on Thursday, September 3, and Monday, September 7.
Those wishing to honour Ethan’s memory have also been encouraged to support the ChadTough Defeat DIPG Foundation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was Ethan White’s cause of death?
Ethan White died following a lengthy battle with diffuse midline glioma (DMG), a rare and aggressive brain tumor. He was diagnosed on March 16, 2024, when he was 20 years old and lived for more than two years following the diagnosis.
Who was Ethan White from Ann Arbor?
Ethan David White was a 22-year-old University of Michigan graduate, Michigan Marching Band snare drummer, writer and passionate Michigan sports fan. He graduated from U-M in 2025 with a psychology degree after completing much of college while undergoing cancer treatment.
When is Ethan White’s funeral?
Ethan White’s funeral will be held at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, September 3, 2026, at Temple Beth Emeth, 2309 Packard Street in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The family is being cared for by The Ira Kaufman Chapel.
Conclusion
Ethan White of Ann Arbor died at only 22, but the years between his diagnosis and death became an extraordinary demonstration of how fiercely he wanted to remain part of life.
Diffuse midline glioma changed what Ethan could physically do. It eventually took away his ability to perform with the Michigan Marching Band and forced him through radiation, targeted treatments, surgery and serious neurological complications.
It did not erase the things that made him Ethan.
He remained a drummer, writer, traveller, friend, brother, son and Michigan Wolverine.
He graduated from the University of Michigan despite cancer consuming more than half of his college years. He returned to the Big House as an honorary captain. He supported DMG research and became a visible reminder of the young people behind the statistics surrounding this devastating disease.
Ethan’s motto was to “beat the odds at all costs.”
He did not get the ending his family and friends desperately wanted. But by living nearly two and a half years after his diagnosis and continuing to show up for the people and experiences he loved, Ethan gave that motto a meaning extending far beyond survival.
For his family, friends, fellow drummers and the wider Michigan community, Ethan David White leaves behind a life that will be remembered not simply for how long he fought cancer, but for how fully he continued to live while fighting it.