Michael Joseph McCabe

With very sad hearts, Joe and Vicki Leach, Kelli (Travis Smith) and Erin (Eric Kulhanek), share with friends the unexpected passing of our son and brother, Michael Joseph McCabe. Mike positively impacted more people than any of us will ever know.

Mike grew up in Filer, Id., attended elementary school and graduated from Filer High School in 1994. He was an athlete, participating in basketball, football, and rodeo. His senior year he was selected to play in the Shrine Football Game, an honor few receive. In 1993, he won the Silver State Invitational Championship in Steer Wrestling in Fallon, Nevada, followed by the Idaho State High School Rodeo Association Steer Wrestling Championship in 1994. He proudly represented Idaho at the National High School Rodeo in Gillette, Wyoming, showcasing his hard work, strength, grit and love of the sport.

Mike pursued his passion for rodeo further by attending the College of Southern Idaho, where he received a rodeo scholarship. He later transferred to Black Hills State University, earning a degree in Business Administration. Throughout his life, he continued to compete in amateur and PRCA rodeos. In 2021 he won the Rookie of the year buckle and the Finals Championship buckle for the Idaho Cowboys Association. The friendships he created in the rodeo community were lifelong and cherished.

Known for his natural charisma and salesmanship, Mike worked in sales, mostly in the construction industry, working for companies like Sherwin Williams and Anderson Windows. Following the accident that caused his TBI, he found a new opportunity with Wood Windows and eventually returned to Twin Falls, where he was hired by Big 5 Sporting Goods.

Above all, Mike's greatest pride and joy was his daughter, Isabel Roan, born in 2011. He was incredibly proud of her academic achievements and her involvement in athletics, FFA, 4H, and other activities. He loved watching her grow and succeed, always sharing her accomplishments with anyone he met – anytime – anywhere. A lifelong Dallas Cowboy fan, some of his favorite moments were spent taking Isabel to AT&T Stadium to cheer for their team.

After Mike’s accident, when he could no longer participate in rodeo, he took up another athletic event. He worked out 6, sometimes 7 days a week at Planet Fitness where people accepted him and allowed him to share his experiences. Mike became interested in 5k Runs, collecting t-shirts and medals – a real challenge for him because of his traumatic brain injury, short term memory loss and a metal rod in his leg.

Mike was a storyteller at heart. He always displayed a spontaneous, quick wit and could tell a joke in a way that could capture a room. He also, however, was generous, kind and compassionate. Once he invited a total stranger who was alone at a gas station to join the family for a holiday dinner.

Joe, Vicki, Erin and Kelli would like to invite all of Mike’s friends and family to attend a “Remember Mike” evening Thursday, July 9th at the Pastoor Building Twin Falls County Fairgrounds in Filer 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm. At 6:00 pm Zane Davis will present a Friend’s Tribute to Mike. Dillon Wickel, the owner of Wick’s Place, and a longtime friend of Mike, has generously donated the food for a light dinner.

To honor Mike, a scholarship in his name has been established for a rodeo athlete at the College of Southern Idaho - who did not earn the most points or win the most buckles; but who possessed a dedicated work ethic, the most “try” and provided the most support for his fellow teammates. The Mike McCabe CSI Rodeo Scholarship Fund has been established at the DL Evans bank for anyone who would care to donate.