Michael loved life and lived it to the fullest. He did more in his short 27 years than most do in a full lifetime. He will be missed terribly by all those whose lives he touched.
From: James & Evone Nickerson (August 2005)
Kind words from Vicki Garwood
The summer that my family and I were lucky enough to have Michael live with us, Michael and I spent much of our time hanging out with one of my high school friends, Josh. Josh is the only person from my high school days that I have kept in touch with. I kept in touch with Josh because he was a great guy and also because his mother, Vicki, was one of the nicest people I had ever met.
Over the course of the summer Josh and Vicki came to know Michael and to the shock of no one grew quite fond of Michael. That summer Vicki took it upon herself to see to it that Michael and I did not end up lonely bacholers. Michael and I had a lot of fun collecting the numbers of girls that Vicki new that went to the University of Iowa (though we never did call any of them) and listening to Vicki's lectures about the difference a good woman can make in a young man's life.
I spoke with Josh a few weeks ago and we had a good talk about Michael and he said that he would call Vicki and tell her the terrible news. Over the past few weeks Vicki and I have not yet had time to speak but she did send the following email.
"James & Evone, I just opened your note and will place your email address in my file. I haven't found the time to call you. I heard from Josh that you were doing okay after the passing of Michael. That hit me so hard. It was as if one of my own had been involved.
To say that Michael was "full of life" would have been an understatement in his case. I would have to think that EVERYONE that met him fell in love with him and with his zest for life just because he was able to find fun in all that he did.
Even the night that the storm hit and others would have been cursing the elements, I would think that Michael would have decided to make jokes of some kind or amused his tent mates because that was his way. He was born to be a charmer.
While I still struggle with God's decision to take him from us, I know in my heart that God had plans for him. They had to be GRAND PLANS. They had to be something AWESOME.
We will meet him again and oh the stories he will tell us....love to you both, Vickie"
James & Evone Nickerson
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