Ethan
Pinsonneault passed away on August 3, 2025, at the age of 28, after a
yearslong battle with addiction.
Ethan
was born in Vermont on February 16, 1997, to Mahala Conard and Nathan
Pinsonneault. He loved Thomas the Tank Engine, the movie Cars,
riding his bike, and spending time with his grandparents, siblings
and other beloved family members. Ethan was diagnosed with juvenile
rheumatoid arthritis at age 6, and although this made his childhood
more challenging, Ethan took it in stride and became friends with
everyone he encountered. Despite his physical limitations, he
participated in sports, played with friends regularly and loved
exploring the outdoors. He even insisted on helping his mom with
gardening projects and his dad with car mechanics. Ethan is also
remembered for his playful and loving spirit; this spirit shined in
his last months in the hospital, where he was constantly making jokes
and sharing his favorite shows with visitors.
Ethan
struggled with depression and chronic pain in his young adulthood,
and after a back injury that resulted in an opioid prescription, he
turned to substances that could ease his reality. Despite many
attempts at recovery, complications from long-term drug use
eventually ended Ethan’s life. At the time of his hospitalization, he
was actively pursuing a life of sobriety with the help of his local
harm reduction clinic.
He
is survived by his mother, Mahala Largent; his father, Nathan
Pinsonneault (Gabi); his siblings, Liz Todd (Jacob), Peter
Pinsonneault (Tiffany), Harvest Pinsonneault and Willoughby; his
birth son, Gus; and his partner, Sonya. He is also survived by his
grandparents, Tom and Sharon Pinsonneault and Kathleen Schipper,
along with many aunts, uncles, cousins and other loving family
members.
We
kindly ask that any donations in Ethan’s honor be directed to the
Behavioral Health Network in Holyoke, Mass., at bhninc.org/donate.
