Lana Diane Schuerman

Lana Diane Schuerman, 20, of Carmel, Indiana, was born on June 11, 1999 and attended Carmel High School.

Lana died suddenly on December 30; she is survived by her father and mother Erich Lee and Doria Louise (Waddell) Schuerman; her two brothers Ray and Payton; grandparents Judy and Larry Schuerman and Marvene Waddell; her aunts and uncles: Brett and Loretta (Schuerman) Marsh, Myla (Schuerman) Pearson, Rick and Deborah (Waddell) Haggard and Eric Waddell and several cousins and her best friend Jillian O’Flaherty.

Her athletic accomplishments began at the age of 2 when she joined “Jumping Joeys” a beginning trampoline class in which she immediately excelled. At this incredibly young age, coaches were telling the family that she had a special gift and should continue on the path that her mom, Dori had started her on. Lana could not have been more thrilled; she loved the sport and worked ceaselessly to improve. She created amazing friendships but none was more special than her best friend in the world Jillian. They met in gymnastics and were inseparable. Lana’s Dad bought Lana a trampoline for the back yard and she and Jillian would spend hours on it, practicing some and laughing and playing even more. It wasn’t just her teammates she formed lasting friendships with, but also her competitors. Lana would look forward to seeing the girls she would ultimately beat at gymnastics competitions around the state, but it was always about spending time together first and competing second. Her passion for gymnastics continued throughout her childhood and into her teen years. She won numerous trophies in trampoline as well as the double-mini trampoline and tumbling.

She attended the national championships in Los Angeles in 2015 and finished in the top 5 in several of her qualifying events. The family could not have been prouder of her dedication, fierce competitive spirit, sportsmanship and constant willingness to improve.

Though Lana excelled at gymnastics, she was also a formidable soccer player. The skills she had already been practicing as a gymnast served her well as a soccer player. She had the tools to excel because she knew what it took to excel at a team sport. Lana’s Dad has a natural coaching ability and worked with her tirelessly to help her become a better player. Her brothers, Ray and Payton, were also avid soccer players and it wasn’t unusual to see all of them in the front yard practicing their kicking and passing skills. The family reminisced fondly about one of Lana’s very first soccer games where her skills were somewhat minimal, but her competitiveness was in high gear. As the family looked on, Lana took the ball from one end of the field to the other leaving other little girls flailing on the ground in her wake! She scored! And also, was gently reminded that it was a TEAM sport!

But it wasn’t just in sports that Lana could excel. At the encouragement of her grandmother, Lana also took on the very difficult challenge of learning to play the piano. Lana was able to pick up the subtleties of the piano quickly. She was willing to work hard at the mechanics of mastering the piano. but more difficult to teach was the technique. The feelings behind the notes as they are played and Lana’s sensitive soul was able to do that with very little teaching.

As she got better and better, Lana and her grandmother enjoyed playing duets together.

Lana adored all animals and at a young age expressed her interest in becoming a veterinarian. She had a compassionate touch with any animal she met as a young child, always holding them so gently. There is one exception to this, when Lana was about 2 the family had an incredibly patient cat by the name of Shadow. Lana loved to carry Shadow wherever she went and with her small frame would sometimes wind up carrying Shadow around by her neck. Amazingly, Shadow didn’t really mind—she was a rescue cat and realized “no pain, no gain!” Lana and her Uncle Eric used to volunteer at “Cat Haven” in Indianapolis whenever he would come to visit from Los Angeles.

At the age of 15 Lana had another trick up her sleeve. Unbeknownst to her parents, Lana had been researching breeds of cats, because instead of getting some crappy job at McDonald’s, Lana wanted to breed and sell kittens. She approached her Mom and Dad and asked them for $1000 to purchase a female Maine Coon cat. According to all of the research Lana had done, it was clear to her that this was the breed that people would want. Lana could not have been more right. Over the next few years, Lana, with her mom’s help, made many, many families happy with a furry addition to their home. In the process Lana earned spending money for amusement parks, endless chicken nuggets and fries at “Wendy’s” and gifts for her family and friends.

Though Lana was with us ever so briefly, she made a lasting impact. Whether it be with families all over the state whose lives were enriched with a bright-eyed Maine Coon kitten, the teammates with whom she shared countless victories or the fierce love, devotion and loyalty she had for her family and friends, Lana will be remember and her contributions cherished.

For many of us, this is truly one of the most difficult days, as we grieve the loss of a loved one. However, I think that it is worth remembering that grief is not a weakness. It is an emotional, physical and especially spiritual necessity. It is the price we pay for love. And the only cure for grief is to grieve.

The family held a private memorial at “Hope Bible Fellowship”, Carmel, Indiana.