Posted by tony guerrerio on September 10, 2013:

While I knew Mike when we were cadets, it wasn't until we both landed in St. Louis that our friendship blossomed. We would meet often to discuss all things politic, religious, economic and sport over lunches.......lunches that happened all too infrequently but when they did, they gave me the sustenance to wait until the planets and our schedules once more aligned for our next one. I served as Mike's financial advisor. When he was first diagnosed and on his way to his first surgery, he called me wanting to make sure that Janie, Rob and Natalie and their families would be taken care of should anything happen. That was so typical of Mike. Facing the greatest challenge of his life, his thoughts were first and foremost for his family. He recovered enough after his first year that we went skiing together. His favorite run out in Snowmass was "Naked Lady" and, every time we skied it, he would tell me after we got down how he felt like having a cigarette. His sense of humor was infectious and never left. Throughout the four and a half years of his illness, we watched him die. But it never slowed him down. He savored every moment he was given; never stopped traveling and never once did I see his thoughts turn inward. We watched him die with grace, dignity, love and laughter and in so watching him die, we learned how to live. I miss our lunches and our discussions but his smile is indelibly etched in my memory. Given that his fate awaits us all, I can only hope we all live and die the way Mike did.

admin