Can you picture the celebration Heaven must have thrown on Sunday, December 7, 2025,

as Wade Lee Bryant came bursting into Heaven’s gates with uncontainable joy! What an

awesome homecoming celebration that must have been!

Wade was born September 18, 1993, in Danville, Illinois. He was born with a congenital

heart defect. This heart condition took him down a long road of medications, hospital

stays, and surgeries. Eventually, he was able to receive a Fontan, which helped prolong his

life and relieve some of the workload on his heart. Throughout all of this, though, Wade’s

spirit and enthusiasm for life never dulled. He filled every room with brightness and joy. To

have known Wade was to know a piece of Jesus. He enjoyed talking about Jesus with

everyone he met.

He especially loved talking about Jesus with his friends on the WBGL Morning Show with

Johnathon and Courtney. He was known for calling into the morning show to talk about all

kinds of things, but especially to talk about Night to Shine, a prom for people with special

needs put on by the Tim Tebow Foundation. Wade was royalty at Night to Shine. He was

known to have a countdown timer on his phone in anticipation of the event. He would tear

up the dance floor, smile from ear to ear, laugh the night away, and have Johnathon sneak

him in pizza for dinner. Courtney from WBGL said it best, “Night to Shine is a glimpse of

what Heaven will be like.”

Wade was never afraid to ask for what he wanted. It could be the very cup you’re drinking

from, WBGL and/or WCIC swag, or something from Amazon. He wasn’t upset if you said no,

though. He simply waited and asked again the next day. He spent countless hours putting

puzzles together with his family, playing the guitar with friends, singing at the top of his

lungs, and eating cheesecake of any kind. He also obtained a 3rd Degree Blackbelt in

Taekwondo and was the recipient of a trike through AMBUCS in Danville. He had a teacher

who always held a special place in his heart throughout the years, Diane Schultz. His

favorite Bible verse he quoted all the time was Matthew 1:21 which ends saying, “He will

save His people from their sins.”

Wade was an avid member of Second Church of Christ in Danville where he enjoyed

helping Darrell in the Tech Booth on Sunday mornings and spending time with his friends in

the 9:20 Special Friends Class lead by Lisa Knight and her amazing volunteers. Please keep

these friends in your prayers as they are saddened by the departure of their friend.

Wade would have some advice for you during this time. “Hey, don’t you give up now. No,

don’t stop praying.” And don’t forget to listen to his favorite song, Michael W. Smith’s

“Waymaker” on WBGL or WCIC.

Wade will be dearly missed by his parents, David and Wendy, his siblings, Dawn and Luke,

and his niece whom he adored beyond measure, Anastasia. He will also be dearly missed

by maternal grandparents and extended family and friends.

The family would like to send a special thank you to the hospice team at Transitions for

their time and care for Wade this year. They would also like to thank all the amazing doctors

and nurses throughout the years, but especially from the heart team and pacemaker team

in Peoria.

A visitation for Wade will be held on Thursday, December 11, 2025, from 5-8 p.m. A time for

celebration of Wade’s life will be held Friday, December 12, 2025, at noon, with Greg Taylor

officiating. Both services will be held at Second Church of Christ in Danville, Illinois. A

private burial will take place after the service Friday.

Donations in memory of Wade may be made to either of the following places: Danville

Illinois AMBUCS, PO Box 266, Danville, Illinois 61832, or OSF Healthcare Foundation, 124

SW Adams Street, Peoria, Illinois 61602. Please be sure to add in the memo line,

“Congenital Heart Center”.

“I can only imagine, when all I will do is forever, forever worship You. I can only imagine.”

Please visit www.anderson-funeral-home.com to view Wade’s eternal tribute page and to send the family condolences.

Anderson Funeral Home in Hoopeston is handling the arrangements.