Today my best childhood friends (sisters) lost their younger cousin Mike. Mike was only 29 years old. He was rushed to the hospital earlier this week with blood clots in his legs and in his lungs, and he was steadily getting worse, not better. My friend let me know yesterday that even though Mike was on oxygen, his oxygen levels were decreasing, and because of it they were planning to sedate him and intubate him in hopes that it would give his lungs some time to heal. Today I got word that Mike was taking a turn for the worse, so they were rushing to intubate him, but he died before they could do it. He wasn't married but he had a girlfriend that he loved very deeply, and he was helping to raise her little boy. He is survived by his mom Nancy, his younger sister Lisa, and his nephew Isaiah (age 3 and his Uncle's pride and joy). He also leaves behind aunts, uncles, and many cousins. The family is deep in mourning right now. This was a sudden illness, completely unexpected, and it doesn't help that it's right before the holidays. Please say prayers for the Justice and Steger families. 29 is so young. I'm still numb with shock. I grew up spending a lot of time at my friends' house, and for a time Mike, his mom, and his sister lived with my friends and their parents, and Mike used to eavesdrop on us to learn what boys we liked and then follow us around making smooching noises and teasing us about those boys. He was feisty, independent, hardcore too, but he loved deeply and completely, and when you were Mike's friend, you knew it. He was good people and he will be deeply missed.
