Mikolaj "Mik" Wasiak
1994 - 2026
Mikolaj “Mik” Wasiak, passed away suddenly the night of October 28, 2026, in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina from medical complications brought on by severe seizures earlier that day. Mik was 32 years of age.
We were devastated and were unprepared for this unexpected loss, as Mik would always amaze us with his strength whenever life forced him to push through. He was an active miracle of God.
Born on June 23, 1994, three months premature in Tucson, Arizona, Mik was our second child and a baby brother to Kjersti. Despite lifelong challenges with cerebral palsy, Mik made the most of his life. In his hometown of Tucson, Mik attended Miles Exploratory Learning Center and Tucson High School. Mik was outgoing and had a knack for making friends. To his classmates and peers, Mik was the funniest kid with a keen sense of humor that could make them laugh at just about anything. He could also be quick to provide comic relief when it helped to see things in another way. After high school, Mik continued living with Kjersti, his sister and best friend, in various parts of the US—Huntsville (Alabama), Alexandria (Virginia), Washington DC, and finally Myrtle Beach (South Carolina).
Mik’s life was rich with experiences but he never lost touch with his Tucson roots. He was a dedicated University of Arizona Wildcats fan who rarely missed cheering for both basketball teams, women’s softball, and football. Tucson was a huge influence that expanded his love of sports to the NFL and his greatest sports passion—the LA Lakers.
Sports influenced Mik’s flair for style too. He may have been soft spoken, but he knew how to make fashion statements. Dressing his favorite camouflage pants up or down depended on the day. Sometimes he would pair them with a purple hoodie and Lakers socks, other times his grandpa’s checkered sweater with a black leather vest for edge. He only used his wheelchair to elevate his style and had just changed its colors to purple and gold for basketball season.
The best part about watching Mik grow up was seeing him engage with others through common interests around other cultures, people, food, and travel. We were in awe of how he could connect with any walk of life. His spirit would shine at happy hours and Sunday Captain’s coffee with our Washington DC Gangplank Marina friends as well as his Port of Washington Yacht Club friends.
Mikolaj is survived by his parents: Joe Wasiak and Kathrin Kjos; his sister: Kjersti Wasiak; his grandmother: Audrey Wasiak; his step-grandmother: Jeannie Kjos; his uncles: Tom, John, Andrew, and Mike; his aunts: Mary, Lynne, Tammy, Susy, and Tana; his eight first cousins, and his six second cousins.
Visitation and Wake is scheduled on Monday, November 9, at McMillan-Small Funeral Home, 910 67th Ave, N., Myrtle Beach, SC from 4 PM until 6 PM.
Funeral Mass is Tuesday, November 10, 2026, at St. Andrew Catholic Church, 503 37th Ave. N., Myrtle Beach, SC at 11 AM followed by procession to Ocean Woods Memorial Cemetery, 2408 S. Kings Hwy, Myrtle Beach, SC for the burial.
It was Mik’s wish that any memorial tributes be made in the form of charitable donations to the Dr. Diane Kjos Scholarship at Governors State University (https://www.govst.edu/donate-scholarships). Dr. Kjos was a professor at Governors State and Mik’s grandmother.
Additional Memorial Services for Mikolaj Wasiak will be held in Tucson, AZ and Washington, DC in December 2026.
