Goodman House finished off the service with reminiscences of how patient, unselfish and helpful Michael had been. Many of us wrote our memories of Michael on recipe cards that were gathered into an album for his mom and sister.

Covenant House (he'd been kicked out for drinking) and he seemed pretty much like any other teenager: slept late and didn't do too much after that, although he did clean up my yard for me. I wasn't close to Michael but his death has hit me hard: he was a smart, quirky and gentle kid who ran out of time before he could get his life straightened out.