I wish I was not writing these words. 

My brother-in-law, Michael Plotts, passed away last Wednesday evening, February 18, 2009.  He leaves behind his wife Barbara (my husband’s sister), and two beautiful little girls.  Bob and I are utterly heartbroken.  We watched as Michael miraculously rebounded from a dissected aorta last summer, and were ecstatic at his remarkable recovery.  Then, sadly, he was abruptly taken away from us last week. 

Michael was only my brother-in-law for a short period of time, but I feel honored and blessed to have had him as part of my family. He was a brilliant, side-splittingly funny, wickedly charming, and genuinely caring person. His love for his wife and daughters was overwhelmingly evident, and I know that his memory will live on as Morgan and Maddie grow up.

The first time I met Michael was around Thanksgiving, about two years before I married Bob. The four of us (me, Bob, Barb, and Michael) went out for dinner at a German restaurant in Upstate NY. The waiter was Asian, a fact which did not go untouched by Michael’s razor-sharp wit. He remarked to the poor waiter: “There’s nothing sadder than an Asian guy in lederhosen.” I liked Michael immediately.

Since then, I had many occasions to just “hang out” with Michael, Barbara and the girls. Even when Michael was recovering from his illness last summer, he managed to be upbeat, positive and even downright comedic – Bob and I were endlessly entertained by his “U.S. Marshals Version” of the Three Little Pigs game that Morgan and I were playing.

And we’ll always have the photo of him from our wedding, where he gave Barbara “bunny ears” that she didn’t notice until the prints came back from the photographer months later.

I wish I had known him longer, but I am grateful for the time that I had.

Michael, we will miss you terribly. Your daughters are very precious to me and Bob, and we will make sure they grow up knowing how wonderful you were.