North Baltimore, Ohio is mourning the loss of Brandon Michael Lanning, known to many as Bubba, who died on June 11, 2026, at the age of 28 after a battle with urinary sepsis that landed him in the ICU and on a ventilator in the final days of his life.
Lanning was born on January 7, 1998, to Loren and Georgianna Lanning and graduated from North Baltimore High School in 2017.
He made a lasting mark there not only as a student, but as one of the most decorated athletes in school history.
Competing as a seated athlete at the state track meet, he collected 11 medals and became the most decorated athlete the school had ever seen.
His family said that athletic drive never left him.
Brandon went on to earn an associate’s degree in geology from Owens Community College, and he dreamed of becoming a meteorologist.
That dream matched the weather page he built and shared widely, where he kept people updated and built a following around his love for forecasts and the outdoors.
He also had a deep love for NASCAR, drag racing, Ohio State football, Toledo Mud Hens baseball, and sports of nearly every kind.
For more than 20 years, Lanning played baseball with the Northwest Ohio Challengers, building lifelong friendships along the way.
Those friendships, along with the ones he made in school and through his weather page, are now showing up in the tributes pouring in from across the community.
A life remembered through sports, family and weather
His mother, Georgianna Lanning, had shared updates before his death, telling friends that Brandon was in the ICU at St. Ann’s Hospital with urinary sepsis and on a ventilator.
She said his numbers were slowly improving and that one night was the first time he had not spiked a fever. Days later, the family shared the heartbreaking news of his passing.
The tributes that followed painted a picture of a young man who made a strong impression on everyone around him.
Claudine Ray-Bernardo wrote, “Our hearts are broken. Bubba was an amazing son, friend, mentor and meteorologist.”
Janet Wangler Kom-Line said, “He was such a sweet young man. He will be missed by many. He had a way to touch people.”
John Beiser wrote, “My condolences to you and family our hearts are broken to hear about Brandon he always made my day better. He was an amazing young man.”
Many others shared similar messages, calling him a joy to be around, a special person and someone who always seemed to leave people smiling.
One former supporter said, “Brandon was such a great person. Now he will be watching the weather from a better place.”
That kind of reaction has become part of Brandon’s story. He was not just a former athlete or a weather enthusiast.
He was a son, brother, grandson and friend whose presence clearly mattered to a lot of people.
Brandon is survived by his parents Georgianna and Loren, his sister Chloe, and his grandparents Ray and Paula Thomas and Gary Lanning. He was preceded in death by his grandmother, Jane Lanning.
The family has announced that visitation will be held on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, from 10 a.m. until the Celebration of Life service at 1 p.m. at Deck Hanneman Funeral Home in Bowling Green. Burial will follow at Beavercreek Cemetery in Grand Rapids.
The family also asked those attending to wear their favorite sports team gear, NASCAR driver colors or drag racing shirts if they would like, a fitting tribute for a young man whose life was rooted in competition, community and the things he loved most.
For North Baltimore, and for everyone who followed Bubba’s journey, Brandon Lanning will be remembered as a fighter, a sports lover and a young man who brought light to the people around him.
