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Nolan Horn, known for his radiant smile, kindness and an unrelenting determination both on and off the baseball field, passed away peacefully at home on Saturday, surrounded by his family.
The 15-year-old Longwood High School student, who fought a two-year battle with brain cancer, held hands with his parents and older brother as he took his final breath.
The Ridge teen’s impact on his community, friends and teammates was profound.
“Nolan’s book of life was much too short, but the chapters were filled with love, life, laughter, and lasting impressions,” family friend Linda wrote in a tribute. “He was everyone’s friend and made everyone feel special and important. His last chapter was fought with dimples, determination, and drive.”
A talented baseball player, Nolan’s love for the game was unparalleled. His passion for the sport extended beyond the field — he cherished moments like attending a Mets playoff game with his older brother Cameron and their parents, Lauren and John, in October.
A ‘true shining light’
Nolan’s presence on the baseball diamond and in the Longwood community earned him the admiration and respect of Longwood Central School District Superintendent Lance Lohman, who in a heartfelt message, described him as “a true shining light” whose positivity and courage brought people together.
The boy’s grit and determination were symbolized by the #NolanNation and “Lov3 for Nolan” t-shirts proudly worn by countless members of the community.
“Nolan’s smile, positivity, and determination inspired everyone around him,” Lohman wrote in a letter to the district community. “Even in his most challenging times, he showed strength, grit, and resilience, qualities that will forever be remembered.”
Nolan’s mother, Lauren Horn, shared her family’s heartbreak in a social media post, writing, “Our beautiful Nolan passed away peacefully last night, here at home, with Cameron, John, and I holding his hand.”
Hospice care began last week
Nolan symptoms had worsened significantly in recent weeks. He had lost his ability to eat and speak, and he needed assistance to move. About a week ago, he entered hospice care at his home.
Nolan suffered from a rare form of brain cancer called Diffuse Midline Glioma (DMG), a disease that primarily affects children and is notoriously difficult to treat due to its location in critical areas of the brain and its resistance to most therapies. It is typically terminal.
Current treatment options, like radiation therapy, can provide temporary symptom relief and may extend survival slightly, but they are not curative.
“Nolan’s very first question upon diagnosis was, ‘Do we have to be sad all the time?'” Lauren Horn wrote in a Facebook message on Tuesday, as Nolan began hospice care. “This question helped guide our decisions and focus right from the start. We chose to believe that his cure was right around the corner.
“We haven’t openly shared Nolan’s diagnosis, in an effort to keep life as normal as possible for him,” she continued. “We wanted to give him the space to enjoy being a kid, surrounded by love and joy, without the weight of this aggressive disease defining him and without being ‘sad all the time.'”
An unfair disease to ‘our sweet amazing boy’
Below is Lauren Horn’s heartbreaking Facebook post from last week.
“Throughout his journey, as parts of his brain were impacted by tumor symptoms or surgeries, he fought to regain abilities through sheer determination and positivity,” Lauren Horn wrote. “Whether short term memory, word recall, balance, or strength, he never doubted that he could again, he just did.
“Nolan relearned and compensated for weight gain, weight loss, muscle loss, and so much more throughout the last 2 years of baseball and golf, and yet never faltered in his belief that he’d get back out there,” she continued in her Tuesday post. “He spends most of his time sleeping, but will occasionally reach for our hands. This disease is so unfair to our sweet amazing boy.”
The Horn family has received an outpouring of love and support from the community.
“Sweet Nolan has gained his angel wings,” wrote family friend Michelle Di Stefano Mullady. “May our Heavenly Father give you the strength and comfort today, tomorrow, and in the days to come.”
Christine Acevedo posted on social media: “What a beautiful boy and light in this world gone too soon. His influence will never fade. I am so very, very sorry for your loss. May sweet Nolan rest in peace. 
“
Services for Nolan
Nolan’s wake will be held at Branch Funeral Home in Miller Place on Tuesday from 6 to 9 p.m., and Wednesday from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. A funeral mass is scheduled for Thursday at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mark’s Roman Catholic Church in Shoreham.
Top photo: Nolan Horn (Facebook)
