Nathaniel Conor Tondreau

Nathaniel (lovingly Nat) passed away on August 12th, 2025, following a hard-fought battle with cancer. Nat was born in Los Alamos, NM, on February 23rd, 2016, the delivery occurring fast enough to warrant a call to the nurse to catch him. The life Nat was afforded maintained the same momentum: moving early, moving often, and holding a pace that kept his family hurrying to always catch up. His life was bright and all too short.

Prior to his cancer diagnosis, Nat was active in the Mountain Swim Team, loved playing soccer, and was learning mountain biking, but was most in his element catching lizards, moths, and grasshoppers in his backyard. In school, Nat was well behaved, liked by his teachers, and friends with the kids around him. In the quiet times at home, Nat was inseparable from his older brother Benjamin, and the two of them would disappear for hours playing games, real-life and video, and were one another’s best friend.

Throughout his treatments, Nat pursued a joyous and active life, pushing through darkness to keep playing, laughing, and being a spirited young boy. Nat slowed down some, but he maintained his backyard shenanigans, and adopted other activities like foosball and fishing. He was the proud owner of the Squish Army, a stuffed animal collection that grew with every holiday and trip to the arcade. His smile and joy were always welcome in the morning as he came down the stairs, and he was always ready for a hug throughout the day to bring calm and love to his family.

Nat leaves behind his family: grandparents that loved him and tried to keep up; uncles and aunts that wanted more time with him, and cousins that will miss the opportunity to play with him. Nat was a pivotal piece of our family; his father, Aaron, his mother, Sarah, and his brother, Benjamin, all miss the ballast that Nat provided. Nat’s bravery and grace throughout his challenge are inspiring, and his family is forever grateful that they were able to care for and love him every day. We will always be proud of you.

Many organizations helped bring relief to our family. Please consider supporting them as they supported us:

UNM Children’s Hospital, Children’s Cancer Fund of New Mexico, Camp Enchantment, Ronald McDonald House Charities of New Mexico