UPDATED: Former Tosa West Basketball Coach Landisch Succumbs to Cancer

Former Wauwatosa West basketball coach Mike Landisch died Sunday night, losing a two-year battle with kidney cancer. He was 31.

Landisch and his wife Colleen just had a baby boy — Caden — less than two months ago. Their daughter Makenna will turn 3 in two weeks.

"He battled it for a long time and put up a courageous fight," Landisch's brother, Scott, said Monday morning. "He showed his courage and his strength, and he has been a great example and a role model.

"He's leaving behind a wife and two kids, and he'll never be forgotten, and we'll always celebrate his life," Scott Landisch added.

Mike learned early in 2010 of his diagnosis, after suffering from back and leg pain. His players immediately took up the cause, wearing orange shoelaces — for the color that represents the battle against kidney cancer — in the game following the diagnosis.

Landisch coached the Trojans for four years . The move was controversial and upset many of his former players and community members, as shown in the comments on this article at WauwatosaNOW.com.

As his condition deteriorated, the family hosted an auction at Kelly's Bleachers to raise money to cover his medical bills. Wauwatosa alderman Dennis McBride has donated his monthly salary for the elected position — rounded up to $325 — to the fund. If you would like to contribute, send donations to:

Scott Landisch
218 N. 79th St.
Milwaukee, WI 53213

He can also be reached via email. No services have been scheduled, but they will likely be Wednesday or Thursday, Scott Landisch said.