I thought I would share what I said about Mike at his Celebration of Life. 

"My brother’s sudden death goes against the natural order of things. He was supposed to die after me, after my parents – after all, he is the youngest in our immediate family. So now we grieve not only his loss, but the loss of the future that we could have had together.

The last time I saw Mike it was just three weeks ago. He looked so happy and healthy. We were all together sharing a meal at Milestones restaurant. There was seventeen of us in total. To see him so happy and in love, it made my heart swell. To think that he has been robbed of his future is almost too much to bare.

I don’t want to live in a world without my brother Mike in it. I need for him to live on in our collective memories and in the hopeful future of his precious children, Mira and Davin.

He posted this message on his Facebook page and it resonated with me. It is by writer Lisa M. Lilith aka L.L. musings:

I wish that I could tell you that everything will workout just as you have always dreamed of, but I won't. You will crumble, you will splinter, and you will feel the weight of the world.

There will be places in the dark that you will stay in, no reservation required.

Sometimes you will be your own destroyer, a taster of regret.

I wish that I could tell you that it won't be like this, but I won't.

What I will tell you is that you are the beautiful one.

You are here with lungs filled of water, brushing the ashes from your flesh, and you are not done yet.

This life has given you hell, and what do you do, smile, shake its hand saying "is that all you've got?".

The greatest battles ever fought are the ones people never hear about, because most warriors choose to walk alone.

So, if you find yourself here on the battlefield of life, please know that you are not alone, and even the strongest need to be carried home sometimes."

The first time I met Mike was when I was in high school with his sister, Sara. Mike was in middle school. I was making use of my newfound freedom of having a drivers' licence and connecting with friends outside of school time. On this Friday or Saturday night I had been asked by some other friends to go over to Sara's house and see if she wanted to hang out with us. I'd never been there before, never met her family, and not even really hung out with her outside of school - but I went up to the door and knocked. No answer so I knocked again and eventually a male voice from inside asked who I was, what I wanted, why I was there, why he'd never met me before, how I knew Sara, why I didn't call first (I'm not sure why...it was the 90s), and a handful of other questions before he even opened the door a crack. It was Mike...just being protective of his older sister (and having a little fun with it ;) ). 

I saw Mike a handful of times following that first encounter and I remember him being easy to get along with and chat. I don't think I've seen him in at least the last decade, but Sara talks about him from time to time when I see her. I was saddened to hear of his sudden passing and my heart goes out to all of his family, friends, and colleagues. My condolences.

I am so shocked and saddened that Mike has left us so soon! I will miss him walking past my desk with his ‘protein toast’ and having our chats.

My thoughts are with his children and the entire family 💔