I'm not really sure when I met Mike. I guess it was in 2011 or 2012. I was still in undergrad at FSU and I heard of this student run organization that would get together and shoot every once and a while. I decided to show up and this old man was the faculty adviser. I did not think much of it at the time. I soon found myself with a range membership at WCSO range. I saw that same old man there on Saturday mornings. I recognized him, but I was not sure if he recognized me. As I got more involved with that student run organization, the Rifle Association at FSU (RAFSU), I started seeing him around more and made it a point to talk to him a couple times. He seemed like a nice enough guy. At this point in my shooting experience, I could handle a firearm safely and I could shoot at standing still at a still target. That was about it. During one of those times that I was talking to Mike, he suggested, even pushed me, to take a class with this po-dunk training team called Talon Training Group. So I took their home defense class at Pat Thomas. I had the best time of my life at that class, taught by J.D. and one other that I cannot remember at this time. That is when I realized that I wanted to take my shooting to the next level. I started getting into reloading with Wheelman (my girlfriend's father) and found out through Mike that they allowed a select few RAFSU members reload at Talon's garage facility at the time. So I started to show up to those reloading nights and Mike and I become quite good friends. We were both meticulous with our reloading and always wanted to know more about it. He kept pushing me to be better and I was determined. When Talon moved out to their new location, I was there to load up Rumbler's creepy/sweet van.

I was in that class that Frady was talking about. And let me tell you, I learned more in that class than I did in school that semester. He didn't just teach us how to shoot better, but how to think and fully understand what we really doing. What really shows you who Mike truly was, he did not charge a dime to anyone to teach us how to be the best we could be with our firearms. If I had paid for that training, it would have cost me thousands of dollars. He really went above and beyond what anyone would ask for.

The last few times I saw Mike, it was in Publix. I don't know how, but it seemed like I saw him almost one every other week for about 8 weeks. Sometimes, he looked pretty good, and other times, he did not. Every time I saw him, I would stand there and talk to this old man wearing a Talon T shirt, 5.11 pants, and a various gun brand hat.

I think the last thing I said to Mike was "Damnit Mike, you don't need to be doing that (referring to housework that needed to be done), I told you, just give me a call. If I'm too busy that minute, I will come by later, or I will get someone out there to do right then." He said he didn't want to bother me because I was really busy with school. I told him that I had bothered him enough over the years and it was his turn to bother me.

I know I rambled a little in there. But I don't really care. The point is, Mike was a great guy. He was my mentor. He was my friend.