My Brother’s Eulogy

How do you tell the life story of Michael in a eulogy…you can’t…It’s impossible. What I hope to do is give you a quick glimpse of who Michael was.

While Michael battled many illnesses, something that remained constant his whole life was his caring heart, and endless love he received from family and friends.

After his death the amount of people all- around the world that have reached out to my family to share their stories about Michael is inspiring. Please continue to share those stories, I know it brightens our day.

Michael’s childhood holds some of his favorite memories.  I know this because two weeks before he died, my dad found a bag filled with old pictures. My dad, brother and I all sat around the kitchen table and looked at the pictures. We reminisced about those days. The joy and smile on his face lit up the room. In fact, he spent most of the time taking pictures on his phone and sending the pictures to his friends.

Michael had my mom and dad who loved him unconditionally from the day he was born to the day he left this world. They would sacrifice anything for Michael. He also had my step-dad Jim who supported and cared about him since he was nine. Then he had me…his little brother, who idolized his big brother growing up.

He was two-and-a-half years older than me, but we were a team. Michael was an ornery kid and loved to play pranks. He always started it and I followed his lead.

If he said, “Brother, let’s go do this”…I simply said “OK.” Most of the time I was the brunt of the pranks.

One time he convinced me to try to fit in a suitcase. With a huge smile he said, “Brother, do you think you can fit in this suitcase.” I said “let’s try”…I did fit…and then he carried me over to the top of the stairs, let out his evil laugh and pushed me down the stairs.  

As Michael grew older, he found a passion for weight lifting, as well as helping anyone who had fitness questions. He loved to talk about workout programs and diets. He loved helping anyone who wanted to listen to his advice.

You were able to hear the excitement in his voice when he was able to help people with their fitness goals. He not only trained people who lived in Colorado, but also online all-around the world.

He also loved music. Not mainstream, popular music, you hear on the radio. Independent music, from artists primarily from Europe. When he was younger he would make CDs for people to listen to and as he got older he would share music every day to his friends and family. If you showed an interest in his music, he would send you music for life, and ask you to “rate it” or say “ tell me, what do you think, what do you think?”

His other love was his video games and 4 cats Chibi, Stryder, Freya and Hazel. His Facebook is filled with pictures and videos of him and his cats.

And his last love was his fiance Heather. They met when he was twenty-six and Heather was his soulmate and best friend. Heather, you accepted everything about Michael and the family always knew when Michael was with you he was happy.

Three years ago my mom planned a trip to Disney World and I got to see their love. “Let me tell you, you find out a lot about people standing in line for two hours at Disney World.” I saw how you both treated each other and loved each other. Some people search their whole life trying to find what you both had.

Through the day you have heard his about his illness.  So, I want to share with you his illness.

The reason I am sharing this is not to make you feel bad for Michael, but it is important to know the pain he had….Had being the keyword. God finally took the pain away March 30th, on Good Friday at the age of thirty-three. We have to be at peace knowing he is not suffering and hurting anymore.

His illness started at the age of 2 and they added up and followed him until the day he died. It started with….

-Respiratory/Asthma

-Post-Concussion Syndrome from playing sports

-Kidney Disease

-Pancreatic problems

-Celiac Disease

-21 tumors in his liver, which resulted in a form of liver cancer

-O.C.D and his fixation was his bodybuilding.

-Due to all of this, he battled depression and anxiety at times

-And to the last was Colitis, which was going to result in removing his Colon in the next month

And I am absolutely positive that his heart would have not been strong enough to make it through that surgery.

And even if it did, it would have taken his lifting away. Something he loved and helped take the focus away from everything. You take away that from him, and what kind of life is that…..

Something special about Michael through all of this is he didn’t complain about his pain.  When you would ask him he would simply say…”I’m Ok.” In fact, his last ten-day hospital visit, he didn’t want anyone to visit him.  He hated feeling like a burden to people.

That brings me to my next point…..Is it okay and healthy to have pain and grief?… Absolutely!! There are going to be days it will feel like we are a nail, and a hammer is trying to pound us into the ground with this pain.

However, Michael would be furious if we lived with that every day. He would never want any of us to live our life that way. I know this because “I KNOW MY BROTHER!”

If you want to respect Michael, feel that emotion and learn to let it go. Please don’t live with it. He wants us to continue on and be happy and remember our memories of him.

To all his friends and family that loved him. Cherish the uniqueness and memories you have of Michael.

Heather…Michael will always be your soulmate and you will always be our family.

Dad… Michael lived with you full-time since he was 18 and you two had a special bond and friendship that will never be broken. I’m sorry you lost your son….

Mom….no mother should have to bury her baby, I’m so sorry. You were Michael’s fighter, and he knew how much you loved him and he loved you.

And for me… Brother… I will miss you forever, but thank you for being my guardian angel.

We all love you… rest in peace and be with God…