Contributions to the tribute of Michael H. French

In loving memory of

Michael

1998 - 2023

Michael H. French

In Loving Memory

1998 - 2023

Debra J Sutton posted a condolence

Thursday, January 4, 2024

Mikey, So many memories...where do I begin? A good place to start would be the day you were born. I was supposed to videotape your birth, and came rushing into your room with camcorder in hand...asking your Mom how many centimeters she was dilated. She said, "Mom, I already had him...you just walked past him". Sure enough, there you were on your little table. I couldn't believe that I waited 9 months for you, and you couldn't wait another 5 minutes for me! What's up with that? I'll never forget the first time you and Kara came to see our new house. We hadn't moved in yet, so there wasn't any furniture, which made it appear even bigger to a little 3 and 5 year old. You walked in the door, looked around, and both of you simultaneously yelled "Wow", and took off running in opposite directions. You were used to living in a single mobile home, so I think this was the largest place you'd ever seen. It was an awesome reaction! Every year you got to choose what kind of cake you wanted me to make you for your birthday, and how you wanted it decorated. You were fully satisfied with that arrangement, until you tasted my chocolate covered peanut butter balls. From that time on, no more cake for you! Everybody else was out to lunch, because you weren't keen on sharing. If they wanted to celebrate your birthday, they'd have to make their own cake! Then there were the "Nana Talks". While they were usually reserved for Kara, I remember a time when you requested one from me. We went for a leisurely walk together, talking about whatever was on your mind, and you showed me some of your favorite fishing and hunting spots. What you kids didn't know was that, while these talks were meant to help you through your rough spells, they actually helped me just as much. It made me feel honored that, of all the people in your world, you trusted me enough to share your innermost thoughts, and respected me enough to listen to my advice on how to solve the problems that were weighing you down. I mean, seriously, how many kids now-a-days are willing to have a conversation with an adult? It's practically unheard of! When your Grandma "Chickie" passed away, I came to your house to try to offer some comfort to you all. I never felt so helpless in my life, as when I looked into your little faces as you waited for me to say something that would make it better. How do you explain something to a child when you don't understand it yourself? For the first time in your lives, I felt like I let you down. As I look back, I feel that this event was the turning point in all of your lives. Everyone was grieving, but in their own way...trying to deal with it alone instead of coming together as a family. Relationships suffered because of this, and the family broke apart. Because of this, you and I drifted apart as well, and I lost touch with what was happening in your life. I hope that you knew that I never stopped thinking about you, praying for you, or loving you. I know you had many struggles throughout your life, but I also know how hard you worked to get your life back on track. I pray that when people think of you, they don't think of the negative parts of your life, but that they will remember how much you had to endure, and that you were overcoming it. None of us should be judged based on our mistakes, weaknesses, or bad decisions. If that's the case, we're all in trouble! I was proud to be your Nana!