[Leon]

Originally Posted by sundevil

Thanks for setting up this wonderful tribute to our friend. So enjoyable reading everyones notes.

Great sadness was certainly felt by many when learning of our dear friend's passing.

Mike was a great man in every single sense. He inspired through numerous ways, including how selfless he was, his fighter mentality, and his love of family and friends. He was truly an authentic soul.

In April, I was diagnosed with a tough medical condition and of my entire network of friends and family, Mike was the one who seriously got me through the first stage of acceptance by mentorship, love, understanding, and his teaching of strength. He called every single morning during the first month of the diagnosis. He had access to information through his long time employer that he would send to me, call me, and decipher medical verbiage. This was while he himself was dealing with the battle of his life. There was so many text messages he sent that were positive and to the core. And he ended all our calls with "I love you".

The evidence is abundant from everyones posts of the personal relationships he forged within the hobby. He touched so many outside the hobby as well. The University of Michigan picked a great one when they asked him to speak with others whom had cancer. Mike held an intelligence level of understanding others and flexed his preferred style of communication to match others preferred style. It is why he connected with so many. A rare talent indeed.

So grateful that Mike battled hard and long enough to visit parts of the world with Jo and to give his daughter away last year in marriage. The world lost a great soul today. But without a doubt, Mike left a memorable footprint with us.

The picture I would "like" to post is "the picture" that Mike sent to me several years ago when battling his first tumor. He was on the table and they have just taken the tumor out of his knee. When he sent the pic, he provided no warning to the graphic nature of the photo. I never forgave him for this stunt. I won't post this for fear of being banned and ruining dinners. I showed Bill Rayburn the picture and think I scared him just like I was scarred.

Instead, I would like to post an item that Mike sent to my wife, unbeknownst to me. The humor (and Mike had it) is that my wife is from Germany. At several Nationals, he always referred to her as the "all american girl". Too funny. When she opened the package that he sent, we laughed our tails off. Also included is a pic from this past National. The words that Mike said when taking the picture were, "am I eye candy or what?"

Its funny, because I was not going to attend this years National. Mike was insistent that I attend. I am sooooooo dam glad that I did. Walking the rows together as with many years in the past was the highlight. On the last day, I was waiting for Mike to meet me in the lobby of the show and my Mom called to inform me that my grandmother had passed. Mike saw the look in my eyes while walking up to meet. Who better than to have the first person you see when hearing the news than Mike? The dude was an angel. It was really tough on his body in Chicago and to have the memory of being with him shopping and dining is a memory I will cherish forever.

Ode to our buddy Mike Hovet.

RIP brother. And thank you for being you.

PS - can't figure out why pics are posting sideways. Mike would laugh at this as well.

Pics posting sideways isn't always a good thing. Yes, Mike would have laughed. Fixed for ya...