The Tanis family has been a big part of the Northview community for more than a decade. Ty Tanis has done countless services for the district by attending wrestling events and practices. The Tanis family leads the mentoring program at the high school. With everything they do for students, Many students have noticed the familiar faces of the Tanis family have been missing for the last month.
During a youth wrestling event Ty was officiating in January, his hip replacement, which needs to be replaced a second time, was inflamed causing pain. However, he characteristically persevered and finished officiating the matches. A couple of days later, he came down with strep throat and the infection spread to his injured hip. Tanis was rushed to the hospital. Ty fought for his life as the strep turned into sepsis, which caused organ failure and created problems with his skin. His daughter Ciara and his son Kirgin were by his side this entire time.
“I was super scared because he’s my father,” Kirgin said.
According to Ty’s Gofundme it has made over $23,000 in support for health bills and groceries. As of January 21, Ty has beaten the infection, but it is uncertain if there will be permanent damage. He has been able to talk a bit and sit up, but he is still very weak and recovering.
With Tanis’ absence, the students he mentors have been significantly impacted. Sophomore and varsity wrestler John Wolever, one of Tanis’ mentees, was worried in the wake of his disappearance.
“I was nervous and scared,” Wolever said. “I just prayed for [him].”
Wolever talked about how he is another father figure to him and how he appreciates him always being at his meets and being there when he needs it.
“He talks to me about what’s going on in my life, sports and just overall making sure [I’m doing] good,” Wolever said.
Ty has always been a part of the wrestling team’s culture, as his son wrestled from 2019-2022. Kirgin was a standout player on the wrestling team for all four years of his high school career and is now a Freshman wrestler at Rochester University. Because of this Ty still supports the wrestling team and still goes to matches.
“[Mr. Tanis] is up in the stands while I’m wrestling, and I love his support,” Wolever said.
Many of Tanis’s mentees are wrestlers like Wolever and sophomore Tyler Duby. Apart from his mental health services, Tanis also sometimes comes into wrestling practice to teach moves and techniques.
“He would always help me in wrestling, because he wrestled, and he taught me lots of moves,” Duby said. “Without him, I don’t have an outlet to speak. I don’t have anybody to tell my good news to.”
