12/21/2023
I lost a classmate a few days ago. In his memory, I would like to honor him here with a few words. Michael Petersen was a fu***ng trooper. Super mad respect for Mike. Mike developed a rare illness several years ago that required treatments that were so involved, so invasive, so painful - to even hear him describe them… most grown men would have taken their own lives rather than endure ; shrank away from public life, he did not ; felt sorry for themselves - not Michael. Michael would joke about his procedures. How he’d been given a year or two to live years ago but was still among the living. Always dismissed the uphill battle. Every time we spoke, he’d ask how others from his years at Rensselaer were doing. We briefly hired Michael to serve as our CTO a few years ago - he’d already been sick for some time. It was one of my proudest moments to attract someone like Mike. He was as smart as his life was short. He was a brilliant mind thirty five years ago and went on to do great things at Reuters, TechPath, Microsoft and BitCentral. We spoke on and off after he gave his notice - as much as he wanted to contribute, it was too much for him. We of course understood - we didn’t realize how bad things were - how could we? he never complained. I had a standing invitation to visit the home he bought for himself in Laguna Beach with sunset views. That place brought him such peace. I hope that his last days there were spent enjoying his son, his dogs and the views he went on and on about. I never heard Michael brag about anything else… but anyone who knew him knew that he had a lot to be proud of. We shared a few life lessons in common and swore that we’d have a beer together soon. I will have that beer the day he is laid to rest as I cannot (sadly) travel to CA on such short notice to pay my respects in person. I told my son that a friend of mine passed away… and that he was a good man. We will say a little prayer for Michael tonight and trust that he hears that he will be - not only missed - but remembered. Rest in peace, old friend. “B-A-BAY, B-E-BE.” HFF, fu**er.
