my friend Michael

[skiJ]

Dear maggs, mangs, mags, and maggettes…

I met Michael last March --
he is the son of my eighty-eight year young friend ;

Michael was sixty-three; he retired two weeks ago.

After BBI18 at Bridger (and BigSky) last March, I met Michael and Roger at Schweitzer for two memorable mornings...

I wrote to each this morning(,) to let them know that my leg is not healing satisfactorily to allow me to ski this Winter
( who'd have thought the eighty-eight year old would be the healthy one ) …


Roger asked me to call, and

he informed me his son had died on Christmas day.


some of you may know Michael - a Masters racer from Schweitzer --

he filled two mornings with Great stories ! !! and was an outstanding host !


I understand many of you have lost friends in the mountains ( this was not that )


several years ago, someone said to me, ' Are you happy ?
grateful for what you have, knowing it can be lost at any moment. . . '

I have remembered this.

I lost a friend today. Way Too Soon.


Thanks for (listening) … tj


Thank you to tgr for hosting this community

[SB]

Good friends are one of the best things in this world.

[I've seen black diamonds!]

Sorry for your loss. Sounds like someone we all would have loved to ski with.

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[stuckathuntermtn]

I'm sorry foe your loss

[ill-advised strategy]

Aw man....brutal.
I'd love to hear the stories, if you feel it in you to write them out. I get if it's too much.
vibes your way pardner...be strong.

[mooseknuckles]

Sorry for your loss skiJ. When you make it back to Schweitzer to celebrate his life I look forward to catching up.

[yeahman]

Condolences for your loss. RIP Michael.

[Micol]

sorry for your loss tj

[hutash]

Wow, so sorry for your loss. You are such a caring person that I know this is really tough. Be strong and know that life goes on.

[idahospud]

skiJ, sorry to hear about your loss. I enjoy your posts here and I'm sorry that this had to be one of them.

[powdork]

Sorry for your loss. Michael and Roger (I gather that's the 88 year old dad) sound like how any of us at least hope to ride it out.

Don't give up on skiing this year. Even for the sake of keeping it going one leg is plenty.

[skiJ]

Thank you, maggs…


yes, Roger is Michael's father -- Eighty-eight ; both of his kids died this year...

Michael and I shared respect and love for his Dad -- Roger is a fine, Good Man.


- not giving-up on skiing (this year) : I will be at the hill Today - but I won't ski.
the leg has been healing for eight months - slowly. … were I to re-break it, it will be Two surgeries and three years with two (surgical) recoveries...
I have skied a lot in the last twenty-five and forty years ( I hope to ski for another fifteen years . . . )


but this post is to say, ' Thank You ' for your condolences , Thank you for your kindness and Thank you for your friendship (!)

Please take a fast run For Michael and his Dad, Roger : they are Good men.


my sincere gratitude... (!) Thank you... tj

[dufferdan]

So sorry for the loss of your friend. To get to retire at 63 and not be able to enjoy it is a tragedy. For a father to lose both sons in a single year, regardless of age, is heartbreaking. That isn’t right at all. I cannot imagine his pain.

Be strong for your friend. Take care.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[whipski]

We are but a moments sunlight fading in the snow and trees

[alpinevibes]

i’ll spin a lap for Michael today

Aye aye, for Michael and Roger!

[Hookster]

So sorry for your loss. Hang in there.

[Shredhead]

Poured a little out for them tonight.



Enjoy your friends and loved ones while you can.

[OregonDead]

Vibes.
Something tells me Michael and Roger would get up early to get the goods. Normally I like to sleep in but I told my childhood friend to show up at my place at 7 AM for a ride to Mt Hood tomorrow. We will ski a fast one for you and your friends.

[Buster Highmen]

condolences and a good reminder: " grateful for what you have, knowing it can be lost at any moment. . . '"

[ill-advised strategy]

Please take a fast run For Michael and his Dad, Roger : they are Good men.

Fast one taken. Beverage poured. Round two of vibes sending in 3, 2, 1....

[skiJ]

Thank you, maggs…

. . . I know after hearing the news, I wanted to try to pay (a) tribute To Michael (and Roger) Here --

This community of individuals is a special place to me - Thank You one - and - All ! !


one of Michael's stories, was of skiing at, I believe it was at Squaw, decades ago(,) after he had not skied in several years
( he had been in one of the Service-s after high school, and for years, skiing was an unaffordable luxury... )
Michael said he had been approached by the Patrol after coming into a lift loading area a little Quickly for Patrol satisfaction --

a brief conversation ensued - and Michael recognized he was going to lose his lift ticket, so he started skating backwards away from Patrol. . .
Michael said he was able to make several more runs before (the) Patrol caught-up with him and he did lose his pass...
( Michael said he tried to blame it on his decade old racing equipment - but the Patrol was not accepting (his) 'excuses' that day (!)
( think 207cm Rossi Stratos … ) )

anyway. I Love that story...


Thank You for your condolences and Thank You for your encouragement ! !!
( I am reluctant to bump this thread - but have decided it is More important ,,, to thank you ( ! !! ) than my (whatever - it - is) )

Thank you, maggs ! !!! I do love this community... Thank you... tj