Mike and I grew up together in the Southern Hills neighborhood south of Dartmouth. Our immediate neighborhood - about from Milwaukee to Dallas Ct - held quite a few girls in our grade at Slavens, but (as far as we knew) only one boy: Mike. He was invited to all the early birthday parties, always as the only boy. We had different interests and friend circles at TJ, so I didn't know him well through high school. I remember having a long conversation with him at a reunion picnic (20-year, I think). He impressed me as a thoughtful, successful, caring man that I hoped to continue to be in touch with. I was sad to hear of his untimely passing.