Former Bison Tight End Mike Wieser Passes Away at 27

courtesy: NDSU Athletic Media Relations Release: 02/25/2009

Michael Troy Wieser, 27, died Wednesday, Feb. 25 at the Mayo Transplant Center, Methodist Hospital in Rochester, Minnesota.

Michael was born April 26, 1981 and was welcomed to the loving family of Richard and Sheila Wieser. Michael attended La Crescent schools and graduated in 1999. Michael loved team sports and was a standout athlete in football, basketball and baseball. He was named Tribune Coulee Region Player of the Year in basketball. He accepted an athletic scholarship to the North Dakota State University to play football for the Bison where he was named Daktronics Division II All-America. He graduated from NDSU in 2003 with a degree in business administration.



After graduation, Michael moved to Las Vegas, Nev., where he lived and worked until his death. In his years in Las Vegas, Michael developed many dear friends who became his Nevada family. Michael was diagnosed with Wilson’s disease in 2001 while as a student at NDSU. Through the extraordinary efforts, Michael’s life was saved eight years ago in Fargo, N.D., when he was first diagnosed with this rare, genetic disease. The Wieser family is full of faith that Michael was given eight extra years of life in order to touch many more people with his personality and love.
Michael is survived by his parents, Richard and Sheila (Hennessy) Wieser, La Crescent, five sisters, Melissa (John) Atkinson, London, Canada; Jill (Brian) Zifko, Ashland, WI; Katie (Aaron) Miller, La Crosse; Jaclyn, Las Vegas, NV; and Elizabeth, La Crosse. He is also survived by six brothers, Todd (Gina), La Crescent; Matt (Jayde-Fiancé ), Robbinsdale, MN; Jon, Ryan, La Crescent; Peter, La Crosse; and Joshua, La Crescent. He will also be deeply missed by his nieces and nephews Madison, Olivia, and Logan Atkinson; Ashley, Andrew, Jack, Nicholas, and Simon Wieser; Dylan, Ayden, and Ahnali Zifko; Kalieb, Dakota, and Makenzie Wieser. Uncle Mike was their hero who played with them and loved them. Michael is also survived by many, many aunts and uncles and cousins. Michael had a unique gift of being able to be at home with young and old, friends and family, and make those around him feel special. Michael was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, John and Hazel Hennessy and his paternal grandparents, Al and Melinda Wieser.

A Mass of Christian burial was held at 10:00 a.m., Monday, March 2, at La Crescent Crucifixion Church in La Crescent with Father Havel officiating. Burial will be at Crucifixion Cemetery immediately following. Family and friends may call on Sunday, March 1, at Crucifixion Church in La Crescent from 2:00pm to 7:00pm. Schumacher – Kish and the McCormick Funeral Homes will be assisting the family. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the family to be shared among organizations and charities dear to Michael’s heart. To express condolences online please visit www.schumacher-kish.com “And he will raise you up on eagle’s wing. Bear you on the breath of dawn. Make you to shine like the sun. And hold you in the palm of his hand