Megan Maey Swanson

It often seemed as if she loved animals more than people, but her compassion for those who were underestimated and overlooked proved otherwise. She spoke loudly, and sometimes inappropriately, for what she believed in. She could be seen around Cleveland and walking along the lake with her beloved dog, Bruno, and her goat, Billy the Kid. She thrifted discarded objects that she found beauty in. If only she could have found that beauty in herself. There has never been or will there ever be another woman like Megan Maey Swanson. A creative, witty, and beautiful bad ass, she passed away at the age of 40 on November 19, 2023 after suffering through a long battle with mental health and addiction.

Megan was born in 1983, graduated from Boardman High School in 2001, and earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Kent State University. Megan leaves behind her parents, Michael Swanson and Nora (Marino) Swanson, and her sister, Kimberly (Swanson) Saint-Pre. This Thanksgiving, we are grateful that Megan has finally found peace. It feels unnatural be grateful for a loved one’s passing, but we witnessed her battle for over 20 years. At the end, she was tired and worn down from the incredible strength it took to fight these diseases for so long.

Megan also leaves behind her supportive brother-in-law, Mike Saint-Pre, her nephew, Marcel Saint-Pre, her loving aunts, uncle, cousins, and a lifetime of friends who were touched by her beautiful soul.

Megan often hid her life from her family, seemingly in an effort to shield us from the reality she was living. We learned her real address from the medical examiner on the day of her death. We visited Megan’s apartment for the first time to pack up her belongings after she passed away hoping it would contain the answers to the questions we had. In reality, we left with just one box of her belongings, an understanding of how bad it actually was, and more questions that we will never have the answers to.

Like so many others before her, the diseases of mental health and addiction, take over lives in ways we cannot understand. Megan wanted a better world for all who live in it. In this vein, her family will continue to advocate for global solutions to the diseases that took Megan’s life and would urge others to do so as well.

The family will honor and release Megan privately. For others wishing to remember Megan’s beautiful spirit, take a walk (with your dog if you have one), listen to a song by Ani DiFranco (one of her favorite artists for most of her life), and cherish your favorite memory with Megan.

So let’s pause

Let us regroup

Let us recover

Let us recoup

Let us remember

-Ani DiFranco