The family of 12-year-old Blaze Leland Himle continues to remember a young boy whose love for his family, fascination with semi-trucks and passion for the outdoors made him special to those around him. Blaze died on January 8, 2023, after a snowmobile accident on private property in rural Theilman, Minnesota. His sudden death left his family and community grieving a life that ended far too soon.
Blaze was born on December 30, 2010, in La Crosse, Wisconsin, to his mother, Marie Himle. He was born two months premature, but his family remembered him as a fighter from the very beginning. At the time of his death, he was a sixth-grade student at Bluff View Elementary School in Lake City, Minnesota.
Family meant everything to Blaze. He was especially close to his mother and grandfather, Dannie Himle, whom he lovingly called Papa. The two shared a special bond, and some of Blaze’s happiest memories involved spending time with him. His love for trucks was so strong that he dreamed of becoming a truck driver just like his grandfather.
One of the experiences Blaze treasured most was traveling to California with Papa in his semi-truck. He was excited about those trips and had the opportunity to make the journey three times the previous summer. Trucks were more than just something he enjoyed watching. He knew a great deal about them and could talk about them with excitement.
Outside his love for trucks, Blaze enjoyed spending time outdoors. He loved fishing, particularly during the summer months, when he often went out with his mother’s partner, Cory Bendickson. Hunting was another activity he looked forward to, and he had received two new guns as birthday and Christmas gifts. He was already looking forward to the next hunting season and hoped to bring home a big buck.
Blaze also had a soft spot for animals. His cat, Groot, and guinea pig, Tratter, were among the pets he loved. He shared a close relationship with his cousins, Tori and Colton, whom he considered two of his best friends. He also loved his two half-sisters, Arlette and Dessiree, and was remembered as being protective of them.
The accident happened shortly after 1 p.m. on January 8, 2023. According to the Wabasha County Sheriff’s Office, Blaze was operating a snowmobile on private property in rural Theilman when he entered a wooded area and struck a tree. Emergency responders arrived and administered care, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. The Wabasha Fire Department and Wabasha Ambulance also assisted.
Blaze’s death brought an especially painful loss to his mother, grandparents, sisters and extended family. He is survived by his mother, Marie, her partner, Cory Bendickson, his grandparents, Dannie and Melody Himle, his half-sisters, Arlette and Dessiree, and other relatives and loved ones. His great-grandparents, aunts, cousins, godfathers and close family friends were also among those who cherished him.
His family and friends gathered to remember him during a visitation on January 13, 2023, at Abbott Funeral Home in Wabasha. His funeral service followed on January 14 at First Lutheran Church in Lake City. He was laid to rest at St. Joseph Cemetery in Theilman.
For those who knew Blaze, his memory is tied to the things he loved most: his family, his Papa’s truck, fishing trips, hunting and the time he spent with his cousins. He was a young boy with dreams of following his grandfather into the trucking world. Though his life ended at just 12 years old, the memories he created with the people who loved him remain part of his family’s story.
Leave a Reply