Bianca Kimberli Nagel

Bianca Kimberli Nagel, born on December 2, 2009, passed away on October 16, 2026, following the sudden rupture of an unknown brain arteriovenous malformation (AVM).

At just 16 years old, Bianca lived a life overflowing with energy, ambition, curiosity, confidence, kindness, and, above all, love and compassion for others. Though her family and friends are heartbroken by her loss, they are forever grateful for the nearly 17 years they were blessed to share with their beautiful, brilliant girl, whose extraordinary spirit touched countless lives.

Bianca was a remarkable combination of strength and humility, determination and compassion, intelligence and wit. She saw the best in everyone and had an ability to make others better simply by being in their presence. If you knew Bianca, you were loved by Bianca. Her expressive smile and perfectly timed zingers could bring laughter even in the most difficult moments.

She embraced learning with passion, taking advanced classes at Anthony Wayne High School. She always opted for extra credit (because "why wouldn't you?"), helping her maintain a 4.88 GPA. She was an American history buff who was proud to be an American but embraced her Croatian heritage. Tri-lingual in English, Spanish, and Croatian, she approached every opportunity with determination and a desire to understand more. Her bedroom walls hold reminders of her positive, driven outlook, including a note in her closet that reads, "Do it for the 32," a reference to her ACT score goal.

Her ambitions extended well beyond the classroom. Bianca was active in Student Council, Environmental Club, INTERACT, Spanish Club, SAC, and FFA, where she was especially excited to serve on the executive team. She volunteered at the 577 Foundation, worked at the Wheeler Farms Corn Maize, fostered for the Toledo Area Humane Society, and helped organize and run events at the Strossmayers Croatian Picnic Grounds.

Bianca played on the Anthony Wayne Girls Soccer team and the GTFC travel soccer team. She also coached young players in the GTFC's IDL program, sharing her love of the game with children aged four to eight. In her younger years, she loved dancing at Dance Expressions, where she excelled at tap. Her love of dance prompted her to organize annual July 4th disco dance parties. She was also a certified scuba diver, world traveler, ceramic artist, crocheter, knitter, and gardener. She cultivated vegetables and wildflowers - planting seeds not only in her garden but in the lives of everyone she encountered.

Bianca's passions reflected her boundless enthusiasm for life. She was devoted to the Croatian National Soccer Team, Arsenal FC, Ohio State football, the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team, UT Women's Soccer, the Toledo Walleye, the Cincinnati Reds, and, more recently, the Utah Mammoth and Utah Jazz. She was thrilled to witness Arsenal lift the Premier League trophy in May, a moment she celebrated with tremendous pride. Bianca never just watched a game, she dissected and analyzed it.

Her musical tastes ranged from Bad Bunny to Bob Marley, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Fleetwood Mac, and the Croatian band Colonia. She loved the Minions, Greek Mythology, Percy Jackson, anything Croatian, and world travel. She was always ready for an adventure, whether traveling internationally, diving beneath the sea, or gathering with family. She packed an extraordinary amount of living, learning, laughter, and love into her too-short life.

Above all, Bianca was a passionate advocate for the world she hoped to make better. She believed deeply in protecting the environment and standing up for people and principles that mattered. Her greatest passion, however, was organ donation and the gift of life. From as early as age seven, Bianca advocated for organ donation, confidently encouraging even adults to support the cause (because "why wouldn't you?"). In keeping with her lifelong commitment to giving more than she took, Bianca's final act of generosity was to give the gift of life to others through organ donation. Her family finds a glimmer of light amid unimaginable grief in knowing that her wishes were fulfilled and that her legacy will continue through those whose lives she helps save. Her family hopes her story will inspire others to learn about organ donation and make that life-changing choice.

Bianca aspired to attend Purdue University for her undergraduate studies in dentistry before continuing to the University of Pennsylvania for graduate studies in orthodontics. She intended to become an orthodontist, bringing the same dedication, and compassion to her future profession that she brought to everything she did. Though her future took a heartbreaking turn, her impact is already immeasurable, and her legacy will continue through the people she inspired, the causes she championed, and the lives saved by her extraordinary gift.

To her family, Bianca was their starlight, their source of laughter, strength, and joy. Her family will forever cherish these memories and the countless lessons she taught them about living with purpose, loving generously, and standing firm in one's convictions.

Bianca leaves footprints across the world and on the hearts of everyone fortunate enough to have known her. Though her family is now incomplete, they will forever be grateful for every moment they shared with their beloved girl. Her physical presence will be deeply missed, but her spirit will live on in every person she touched, every cause she advanced, every seed she planted, every laugh she inspired, and every life changed by her final gift.

Bianca was everyone's Bianca, and everyone who knew her was better for it. She reminded those around her that a meaningful life is not measured by its length, but by the love it gives, the good it does, and the lives it changes.

Give more than you take. Love more than you are loved.

That is the Nagel family mantra, and Bianca embodied it every day. She was, and always will be, a blessing to all.

Bianca is survived by her parents, Matt & Marica Nagel; sisters, Nadia and Ariana Nagel; grandparents, Zvonko & Katica Juratovic and Richard & Carol Nagel; aunts and uncles, Kristina Juratovic, Marina (Justin) Saunders; Dave (Diana) Nagel, and Julianne (Mike) Renz; cousins, Andrew (Cat) Nagel (and their children Lane & Emersyn), Jacob Nagel, Rachel (Josh) Magnussen, Paige (Nate) Roush, and Eric Renz; godparents, Mirko Juratovic and Chuck & Debbie Ulrich; as well as many great-aunts, great-uncles, and second cousins throughout the US and Croatia - distant family that was more like immediate family. She is preceded in death by her godmother Barbara Juratovic.

Family and Friends may visit Thursday, October 22, 2026 from 1-8 pm at Maison Dardenne Walker Funeral Home, 501 Conant St. Maumee, OH. Arrangements are being finalized for Saturday, October 24, 2026 in Sharon, PA.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the new "5 in Our Hearts" foundation being set up in Bianca's name. This foundation will be dedicated to research and trials for early detection, early treatment protocols, and intervention of AVM as well as advocacy for Organ Donation.