Benjamin Edward Karcher

It is with broken hearts that we share the unimaginable loss of our beloved son, Ben. His death was shocking and devastating, and our family is grieving a pain that words can barely hold. Even as we mourn, we are determined that Ben’s story be told in the way he would deserve: as a celebration of a life that brought people together, made them laugh, and made them feel they belonged.

Ben was raised in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and moved with his family to Columbus when he was 11. He was a 10th grader at Upper Arlington High School. Ben was exceptionally smart and witty, and he carried himself with a quiet confidence and curiosity that showed up in everyday moments. He loved music and found a special voice through it. Ben was a gifted horn player, and he also sang with passion, most famously while showering, filling the house with unexpected concerts that are now treasured memories. He loved wrestling, choir, school band, and the Columbus All Star Brass Band, and he embraced the freedom that came with earning his driver’s license and the independence it represented.

More than any activity or achievement, Ben loved his friends, and his friends loved him fiercely in return. Ben had a rare knack for connecting people across groups. He brought his classroom friends, band friends, choir friends, and wrestling friends together, forming a large circle of very close friends with varied backgrounds and interests. They loved going out to eat, playing video games, simply hanging out, and especially teasing one another, with Ben right at the center of it all. He was talented at creative, loving pranks that became stories people will retell for years, not because they were mean, but because they were funny, surprising, and full of affection. With Ben, laughter was a language of belonging.

Ben deeply loved his family, especially goofing around and teasing his cousins. He could turn an ordinary gathering into something lively simply by showing up, finding the humor, and pulling everyone into it. His presence made people feel seen, included, and safe to be themselves.

We ask that Ben not be remembered by his death. Instead, we ask that his legacy be this: treating others with kindness, compassion, humor, and grace is how to become a true champion at life. Ben did not need a trophy to prove who he was. He won hearts through the way he gathered people, lifted them, and made them feel connected.

Ben will be greatly missed by his loving parents, Wendy and Doug Karcher; his older brother, Maxwell; and a large, beloved group of grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, extended family, and an extraordinary community of friends who will carry his memory forward.

Visitation will be held from 1:00 to 3:00 PM on Sunday, March 1, 2026, at Schoedinger Northwest, 1740 Zollinger Road, Upper Arlington, Ohio 43221, where a Memorial Service will be held at 3:00 PM. A catered reception will follow the service until 6:00 PM.

In Ben’s honor, we also ask and pray that you regularly check in on the well being of the important kids and young adults in your lives, even if there are no signs of depression. A simple check in, a sincere question, or an extra moment of attention can matter more than we know.

In lieu of flowers, we ask readers to consider a gift in Ben’s name to The Center for Suicide Prevention and Research at Nationwide Children’s Hospital:

Give.NationwideChildrens.org/HonorBen

If you or someone you love is struggling or in immediate danger, help is available. In the United States, you can call or text 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, anytime.