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Some of the many pictures Mike has drawn.

Comments from those that Loved Michael

Daniel, his younger brother:

. . . My brother Michael lived a difficult life but he always did what he wanted to no matter what people told him to do. Most people are afraid to tell the truth about how they really feel about someone but not my brother. He always said what he wanted and to whom he wanted no matter the consequences. Saying this, he also had a soft side that he didn't show to many, only the ones he trusted and loved.

He was an amazing musician and artist, having more artistic talent than anyone I have known. He spent most of his days playing his guitar or listening to rock music as this was his passion. He was my big brother and I loved him more than I even knew I could. These last few years I was able to spend more time with him and I wish I would have taken the opportunity to spend even more with him when I had the chance. What I know is that he had a good heart and that he was loved by many.

He will always be my big brother and someone that I know I will see again one day. Thank you for being my brother and my friend. Your memory will live on through the people that loved you and who knew who you really were.

Rest in peace brother of mine, I love you and you will always be in my memories.

Tom, his less younger brother:

. . . Well Bro here we are, I wish we could have shared more of our lives together. More time, and more memories. Guess that's just how it goes. I wish I knew then what I know now. Maybe things could have been different.

As a kid I always looked up to my big brother though I may have never showed or shared it. You saved me from Multiple school yard beatings whether you knew it or not. Growing up I always looked up to my big brother ACE, Coolest kid in Westside. I'll always remember the good times, traveling with the motorhome listening to Led Zeppelin and watching kids in the hall on our little black and white TV.

You lived life your way without compromise, you had a kind sole and good heart and touched many people over the years. I know this isn't the end and if it's gods will, we will see each other again on the other side. Love you bro.

Mike's Friend, Tara:

. . . I never realized how hard writing this letter would be. I lay in bed and think about the words, their meaning and how painful it all is. I am sorry I can't be here today to say "see you later". I don't like saying goodbye, It sounds so final. I may not see you on this earth but I know I will see you in another way, eventually. I am sorry I wasn't there to save you. I'm sorry I couldn't cure the pain you held so deep. You were so talented, kind, Funny and unique, losing you was such a huge tragedy for this world. I wish you knew how precious you were to me. I was blessed to know you and be your best friend. My life would definitely be boring without your interesting personality, you always had a way to make me laugh hysterically. You took that laugh with you. The kids miss you just as much., You would be proud of them. Hailey is a social worker, Xavier is a Practical Nurse and The girls have work to do. Two teens are a lot to handle haha , they are sweet and kind thank goodness.

Oliver is so big and smart and asks for you often.

I want you to know that I forgive you. My anger was so intense when you left. I had to pull myself out of what I can only explain as a pit of despair. I want you to know I am fighting every day to stay positive and stay in the light. I am living my life for the both of us, you would be proud of me.

I found this poem that explains how I feel...

You Never Said Goodbye

"You never said I'm leaving,

You never said goodbye.

You were gone before I knew it,

And only you knew why.

A million times I needed you,

A million times I cried.

If love alone could have saved you,

You never would have died.

In life I loved you dearly,

In death I love you still.

In my heart you hold a place,

That no one could ever fill.

It broke my heart to lose you,

But you didn't go alone

For part of me went with you,

The day you were called home."

You will stay with me forever Mike, you are gone but never forgotten.

"Never forget what you are, the rest of the world will not"

Solange:

. . . Mikes letter: I've know mike since I was 19 I am now 32 and lost him 3 years ago. What caught my attention was the fact had jokes oh men did he ever then came that rock look of his. Has an artist mike was good at both singing, playing , sketching and inventing rock music. He was a good cooking though doing the dishes was another thing. He was a good friend too many friends who made ppl laugh. He also had a special bond with our cat Norah who was in norahs mind a dad. They were inseparable and had many back to back chats. The day of his passing Norah was there she was devastated mike. We both slept a lot there was no more noise of your laughter. No more of your singing. The days go by the quiet days though r long. Something always reminds me of you like when I see cheese and broccoli at the grocery store. Listening too your favourite bands such as Pantera, Megadeth Alice In Chains and many more. He was my best friend and an ex lover nevertheless how we parted he still lives in me and I see him here and there in my dreams so I know our friendship is strong and on going. Mike struggled with mental illness like most of us we try too co op but now mike you are now at rest; no more struggle for you. You r at peace love you forever Rest In Peace mike love your little monkey.

His Greatest Fan and Mother:

. . . Michael, I wish we had taken more time to understand each other. Perhaps it is because we are both Dragons that we clashed so much.

We both tried at times but not at others. I really did enjoy your creativity and talents even though not much was said about it.

You have many followers still posting on you Facebook page. Many people miss you including me of course. Selfishly, I am glad though that you are in a better place and I don't have to worry about you any longer. Tommy and Danny know what that means.

Life goes on for us but you are in our thoughts constantly. Love you still.

Mom

Chief cook and bottle washer, er, dad:

. . . What can you say about one of the most diverse persons i've run across. On the one hand, you wanna hug him, and on the other, you wanna slug him. Let me start at the beginning.

Michael came to us in a most unusual way. My wife and i were sitting in the adoption office in Calgary in the spring of 1976 when a person(cannot remember anything about him or her) brought mike in to show us. He was not crying or fussing, just sort of lying there. I remember my wife being unsure of whether to take him or not, my response being, "This isn't a supermarket", or something akin to that. Of course we are taking him. So we left the building without fanfare, our newest possession in my wife's arms. I can remember the little plastic baby carrier sitting on the floor of our 1975 Hilux truck, the little chubber being very quiet. And for the most part, Michael was a quiet child, very timid and loving.

As the years went by, Michael was the perfect child, attentive, caring, and to his brothers, the boss, for good in his eyes. Michael was an impressionable boy, latching onto superman after seeing the movie in San Diego while we were visiting my Aunt and Uncle in, say, 1979. He always liked to sit with me when i sat, watching TV. A delightful child i muzt say.

Our troubles started when he was nine years old. At this time we were contemplating moving to Australia(after much study, i came to the conclusion it was not the ideal country i had envisioned and i dropped it), but mikey had fears in his mind of the plane crashing and sharks devouring us. He ran away from home, but to his school, i guess the safest place he could think of. A couple returned him to us in the middle of the night, to our surprise. Clueless at the time, we did not see the early signs of his disease creeping in, which i believe kept him from roaming too far and wide during his early teens and on into adult life. Those years i wouldn't wish on anyone. They were heart wrenching. To save his memory i will not go into detail. Being a rock star was really all he could focus on for the rest of his life.

To finish, it was as if someone had stolen him from our lives, but in that, i think michael had in the back of his mind, to impress his dad, as all good boys are want to do. I will share with you the two times God gave to us, a father and son together in a meaningful appreciation of each other's existence. The first was, i believe in 1991, when mike was 15 and i was 43. Wanting to take each of my boys on an adventure they would remember, Michael being the first, i decided on a trip to the Grand Canyon. Being alone together for a week or so, it is hard to hide your real self. Can't say as we did a lot of verbal interaction, but just being and sharing together was enough. At the Canyon, we camped out in a tent and i can remember mike not having the warmest sleeping bag, and him shivering during the night. Not a peep out of him. He was a tough little dude. We bought an indian blanket at the local store to augment the next nite, but that day we walked from our campsite to the Kaibab Trail, down to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, and then back up on the Bright Angel, visiting Phantom Ranch while we were down there. That's a vertical drop of nearly a mile and a journey of 17 miles, rim to rim. A memory to last a life time, praise God.

The second, if you can believe it, was a few weeks before his death. I was scheduled to fly to Ottawa in early June to visit my youngest son Dan and his family, but was given a chance to drive an F-350 Platinum Diesel to Toronto in early May, and then fly home. Seeing i was already there, i arranged to fly to Ottawa first and then home, allowing me to see my grandchildren. Didn't see mike at that time, but intended to have a visit with him(usually lunch with the whole Famdamily) when i came back in June. Then the word comes from my youngest son Dan that his wife Amber does not want me at their place as she wants to spend time with Dan and the kids before she takes off to her Corrections course on Prince Edward Island. Okay, where will i stay? Michael generously offers for me to stay at his place. Thus, we are able to spend four days together, a gift from God, as such an event was never imagined on my part. It was a fun time, eating out at a different spot each day, going to the movies, the War Museum, and buying and assembling a TV stand. Parting was hard, but necessary. God in his infinite wisdom had given us this time, knowing full well He was taking Michael Home soon, too soon for us, but perfect in His timing. So in such strange manner, will we be together again sometime in the future. Selah.

Isaiah 57:1-2 1 The righteous perish, and no one takes it to heart; the devout are taken away, and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil. 2 Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest as they lie in death.

Some Snapshots of Michael on his Life Journey

Click the Dinosaur to Play Michael's "Evicted Master Song"; written, played and sung by him and his band.

On Wednesday, June 22nd, 2022, We laid Michael to Rest in South Haven Cemetery. A small gathering of seven people including his Mother, Father, two Brothers, Tom and Dan, a Sister in Law, Barb, a Niece, Abbey and a Nephew, Mason, attended. A short dissertation was presented by his Father followed by the reading of individual words of encouragement.

The general gist of his Father's dissertation was the Hope and Promise we have in God's Word and Nature to an afterlife in the presence of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. In 1983, Michael, when he was 7 years old, came forward in Ridgecrest Baptist Church in Kamloops, BC to accept this Jesus in his simplicity. A Contract between Michael and God was thus established. In the Bible, God Promised to make a Great Nation of Abraham and to prove He meant it, He swore by two immutable things, His Nature and His Word. By these Proofs we know that in God, who cannot lie, we have the Hope that Michael is with the Lord, unequivocally. God keeps His Word in spite of our misplaced actions. He is Faithful. We can speculate until we are blue in the face, but it is God's Word that is immutable. What He promises is what counts. And we can see this in real world history as Abraham's descendants still occupy the Promised Land of Israel, the physical representation of the Spiritual Church, chosen and given by the Father, redeemed by Christ, comforted and nurtured by the Holy Spirit, of which we are a part.

Hebrews 6:18 King James Version

18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:

Mark 10:13-15 King James Version

13 And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.

14 But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.

15 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.

John 6:37 King James Version

37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

Hebrews 13:5 King James Version

5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

And having been Circumcised in the Heart, Baptized into the Body of Christ, Transformed into a Spiritual Jew, able shall we be to see Michael again. God Bless.

Flowers by Barb