MICHAEL ALERT

"I want to thank you for the wisdom and example of how you lived your life, fully authentic. I know you rest in peace without regrets knowing you gave this life your all, the MJ way, every day. You made sure to be absolutely clear on how much appreciation and love you had for Allie and my friendship—a gift that we will forever cherish. I’m honored to be your brother and family forever. You showed us how to see the best in the world and in others.

Ever the optimist, you lifted people up in the way you believed in their potential, the way you asked the hard questions for self-discovery, and the ways you pushed us towards excellence and greatness. Your passion for life is infectious. No idea was too audacious or optimistic to consider and debate. You led with a generosity of heart, optimism, and belief in the goodness of others that I know I won’t find again in this lifetime."

- Mike Linneman

MJ, I never really believed in mentors, role models or any of that until you were brought into my life. After I started working with you, I truly did not think anyone could care for other people as much as you did.

You genuinely cared about my well being, my personal life, and my career and I never hesitated to share anything that no one had truly known about me because at the end of the day, there would be no judgment, no ill will, and somehow you’d know exactly what to say every single time."

- Ammar Abdelwahed

MJ, almost everyday I think about how we had the best team that I have ever been a part of. We were not just coworkers that had to go sit in an office together. We were friends that just wanted to dream big ideas and create. Somehow you found us and inspired us to take on challenges and push the limits of innovation in everything we saw. I could always just call you or text you about how something wasn't quite right. How a color was just one shade off. How an app was doing something the right or wrong way.

I feel like when I first started out at AT&T I wasn't quite so sure about how I was going to turn out in software development. You really helped me find my inspiration in what I wanted to do with my life and I appreciate you for guiding me and helping me find my way.
Love you and miss you my guy.

- Paine Leffler

MJ you were a great supervisor, leader, mentor, and a loyal friend, you left a mark on peoples lives effortlessly. You always took it upon yourself to take care of others and make sure they could reach their highest potential. You were selfless and pure with all of your selfless acts. You were passionate about the work you did ,but uplifted others to not be afraid of achieving their unrealistic goals, I am one of the many people you inspired to achieve those goals.
From the first time that I met you I knew that you were different. Your energy, charisma, focus was unlike anyone else's.

I didn't just lose a friend, I lost my big brother. With a heavy heart I will push forward as I hear your voice saying ‘Enjoy Life Anas!’ It is going to be hard not having you around, the world isn’t the same without you brother!

- Anas Siraj

I still have a hard time with the fact that we won’t get any more pictures together. I feel like I lost my big brother and I’m not sure I’ll ever fully heal from the hole that you’ve left behind. But one thing that gives me solace is the fact that I got to know you in the first place. We met by chance, I think I was bugging you about putting in a word for me with the design team or something and from that moment on you took me in, like family. You didn’t just care about my career or what I was doing with work, but you cared about ME. You’d text from time to time “Hey what up fam? Just was thinkin about you and wanted to check in” and honestly I’ll never know what I did to deserve that MJ level of love and care that you showed me.

MJ you should be here. You should be here and it tears me apart that I can’t watch you do your thing the way only you could do. But I promise you that I’ll live every day for you, doing my best to make a difference the way you always would. My kids will know you.
Your legacy will live forever.

I love you so much my guy, and I’ll miss you every day until we meet again.

- Ashley Isles Asonye

MJ had such a way of being able to see the best in you even when you couldn’t. He was ambitious, talented, competitive and yet, he loved to show others what made them great just so he could see them win. I’ll always remember when he was my manager, he had no problem putting the team in situations that would push us outside of our comfort zones. He never thought for a second that we couldn’t rise to the occasion because he saw what we couldn’t. He loved helping others realize their potential and seeing them succeed.

Not only were you a great manager, but also a great friend. During our last conversation, we talk for hours about life, your goals, my goals. It still doesn’t seem real that those dreams got cut short.

It’s so tough writing this because it doesn’t seem fair for you to be taken away from us so soon. I miss you my guy, and my thoughts and my prayers will continue to be with your family.

- Tope Daramola