I remember the last day I seen Michael ,  it was on Sept. 3rd , 2009 . He came with my Dad to pick me up from work. I didn't notice it was him at first bc he was sitting in the back seat of the car , he sat back there for me , so I had shot gun . I never asked him to nor would I of , but he sat back there. He got out , I gave him a huge hug and kiss and told him how much I missed him & loved him. I use to always tell him how proud I was of him & how handsome he was.

Then we went to the Bethel Dairy Bar & he bought me ice cream , we sat and ate and while we were eating he was showing me pictures on his phone of his babies (Makayla & Lil Michael) , saying the whole time that he was so happy to have gotten to see them. He showed me one pic where the sun was shining through in a way that wasn't normal , it was a pic of him & Lil Mike. He said "That is God right there , look , that is definitely God in that picture!" I was like "yeah it is definitely something Holy". I looked behind him and there was a truck that had a tire on the back of it , well the tire was not your average black tire , it had blue and white colors and said "The Lord is with you" , I showed it too him and he said it was awesome. We finished and we ended up leaving for Georgetown to take me home. We laughed the whole ride Mike was full of hysterical jokes!

When we got there I got out and so did Michael , he asked me for a drink of my sweet tea , I gave it too him bc I could get something from home. I gave him a hug and big kiss on the cheek and they left. That was the last time I seen Michael and I am very greatful that I have that chance to see him. He was going to stay in Gtown with me bc he wanted to see Momma , but she was not home. He was going to get some steaks and grill out with her . I tried to tell him that he could stay with me , that she would be home soon , but he decided to just head back to Cincinnati.

The next day at work I was a mess , this was before i had ever known Michael was gone. The night before i watched home movies of us all with Josh , all of us when we were young. Michael , Ashley . Heather & I.  While watching them I starting crying to where i was bawling . I missed my siblings so much , but my attention was focused on Michael ,(bc I seen him the day before I guessed). Well i cried myself to sleep while Josh comforted me and then got up for work the next day. While I was at work I was sad all day , I couldn't shake this feeling of heartache that I had. I drove home in a daze when the work day ended and rested. Later on that night my Dad (Earl) called me saying that he was going to come see me.

I knew something in his voice wasn't right but I still didn't KNOW. So he gets to where I was at and I walked out to the car , before I got in the vehicle he told me Mikey's dead. I could not believe it , I didn't want to! I fell to the ground screaming and crying , "No! No! This can't be , I just seen him the other day , No! Why??? Not our Michael , it can't be!!" I was mad at the Lord at that moment in time the very day he was called home & I was mad at someone else also. I am not  mad now I have realized that me being mad does no good for anyone , and God needed him for something in Heaven. Still , the pain that exists everyday in all our hearts will never cease , it will eternally be heartache. The day before he died when I seen him , I never realized that God was preparing me for what was to come. When I found out I didn't even realize , it took me weeks to put two and two together. I believe in my heart that God was prepping me for the grief that was to come.

With the pictures Mike was showing me , the tire that I had him look at and all in all just being able to see him and hear his laughter and hug him so tight. God must of knew or thought that I needed that . I don't know. I'm not saying that nobody else deserved that time , they all did & it hurts me that I got to see him but no one else did that day. I guess it all happens for a reason even though we may not know that reason. It's all something that we are not meant to understand. I wish we all could visit you in Heaven , we would visit everday , mutiple times a day. I loved you then , I love you now & I will love you forever Michael , we all will. R.I.P sweet , sweet Brother of ours , I hope that I get to see you on the other side.......

         God grant me the Serenity to Accept the things I cannot Change , Courage to change the things I can & the Wisdom to know the difference. *~Amen*~      Cya Sweet Homie , I know you walk with all of us and I know that you walk with me . I can feel you when I'm sad or in a bad situation that I shouldn't be in. You help me and I wanted to say thanks for all you did when you were on Earth , all the protection & thanks for all you do for us and for me while you are now in Heaven....... <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

When Michael was little, im talking maybe 4 years old he would call me his uncle...I would get a kick out of it..

I remember one day when he lived at the shoe factory apartment with his mom and dad,I was cruising through the parking lot with some friends and he was outside playing with one of his little buddies and I stopped and ask him what he was doing, "he said nothing just playing with my friend" well then he turned to his little friend and said "Thats my uncle" I started laughing cause it was just the funniest thing him calling me his uncle...

God I loved that kid !!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Love ALways,

Your Aunt Tracy : )

I used to follow mike every where, he hated it so much. We couldn't have been but 6 and 8.. he would always turn around and say go back home ashley you are not hanging with me lol. So I would ever so sadly go back home and try again tomorrow. He always introduced me as his big sitter and he would always say how proud he was of me. We protected each other from certain evil in our lives. He meant so much to me. He loved being a daddy and he loved josiah so much. His laugh was contaious and his personality was magnetic. If only heaven had visiting hours so I could spend more time with him. Michael loved our mother dearly and I wish she could see him one last time too. I remember the day as if it just passed it was a Friday evening 9/4/2009 when my world was ripped from me, my uncle came to tell me the news I thought it was a joke, I didn't wanna believe a word spoken... I needed proof ! Did this really happen. Oh lord help me, I lost all my strenghth at that point