Beloved Bemidji Lumberjacks Fan Eric ‘Big E’ Nelson Passes Away After Cancer Battle

Bemidji students and boys’ basketball players holding a moment of silence for Eric “Big E” Nelson at Friday’s game.

Eric “Big E” Nelson, Bemidji High School’s beloved custodian and biggest Lumberjack sports fan, has passed away.

Nelson died Thursday after a long-fought battle with renal cell carcinoma, a form of kidney cancer. Last year, he was honored before one of the Jacks’ home basketball games for his impact on Bemidji athletics, and on Friday he was remembered before the final boys’ basketball game of the season against Alexandria.

“Big E,” as Nelson was affectionately known, was a part of the Lumberjack community for over three decades and was loved by all who knew him.

There is a GoFundMe campaign set up to help support the Nelson family, which you can find here.