Michael was the first person I ever met when I transferred to Valparaiso University. As a major fan of the Grateful Dead and Phish, I knew I was able to immediately become good friends with him once I saw his car, with a Dead sticker, blaring Phish with the windows down. I knew right away that this guy was going to become a great friend of mine. We had some amazing times experiencing shows and sharing the love for the same music. Michael cared so much about his friends and always went out of the way to help them out. I am heartbroken to learn of his passing and will continue to pray for his family, friends and loved ones.