Michael Anthony Coghlan

It was at 7.30am ,on an autumn morning of the 22nd of October 1964 in Crumpsall Hospital ,North
Manchester ,where Patricia Coghlan gave birth to her first son ,Michael Anthony.
He was taken back to the family home in Harpurhey ,Manchester ,whereby he spent the first 7 years of
his life.At the age of 7 ,the family moved to a new house in Sale ,Cheshire ,on the 'racecourse'
estate ,nextdoor but one from his Nanna Birch & his Uncle Jimmy(James) ,whom Michael looked up to so
dearly.
Michael grew up there & from his mid-teens ,he travelled far & wide ,taking him the length & breadth
of the country. He spent the summer of 1980 in Jersey as a 'silver service waiter'. He spent a
couple of summers in his mid thirties working & having fun in ibiza ,Spain.
Michael led a colourful, varied & controversial life & enjoyed life to its fullest! Throughout his
life & travels, Michael made many, many friends & was loved by all.He played every role of the
family, from Son, Brother, Cousin, Nephew, Uncle, Dad & Grandad, and did so very well.
The last 7 years of his life, he lived in a Cul-de-Sac with his best friend & companion, his dog,
Bella. They went everywhere together, and she was everything to Michael. His Brother Wayne, lived to
his left & his Auntie Angela (my mum), lived straight afacing him. Angela spent those 7 years
looking after his every need, there wasn't a day went by without her cooking him a hot meal for his
tea. The love & kindness towards her Nephew Michael, was very much appreciated.
Michael was special to me from as far back as i can remember! When I was younger, I'd love to visit
my Auntie Pats house just to see him. As soon as we arrived, before even taking off my coat, I'd run
upstairs to his bedroom, knock on his door & shout his name! To see his face light up when he opened
the door to me & he'd say "hiyaa smell", give me a big cuddle & more than likely have a sweet or two
stashed away in his room for me. He always said I was his favourite, although i sometimes wondered
if he said that to all his other cousins too!! But as i grew up, I come to realise, he did have a
special place in his heart for me, as i did him!! I looked up to him more as a big brother, than my
cousin, sometimes he was more like a father figure, because if I ever got out of line or in trouble,
he would soon be there, finger wagging & the old lecture of the do's & don'ts in life. But even
then, when he was giving me an earbashing, I still loved him so.
We weren't so close, when i finally turned into a teenager, but I think he wanted me to stay his
little girl forever. We still spent time together though, I remember staying at his house in Sale
Moor, at around the age of 14, only to find, he had the most embarrasing photo of me, framed on top
of the TV in the living room, for all to see. I was horrified, begging him to take it down because
it was embarrased by it!! But he just giggled & found it highly amusing to watch me squirm & blush,
everytime when his friends would visit & say how cute I was !! But thats why I loved him, he was
always winding me up, & I fell for it always !!
It must of been hard for him, to take it in that I was growing into a young woman, but eventually he
realised I was still the same "smell" as i always was, just bigger & more independant!! Although,
even as a grown woman, I still got the lectures & put in my place, when he thought I was wrong. He
was always there when I needed him, whatever it may of been for..... a shoulder for me to cry on, an
ear to moan at, a mind, full of information & advice, even though I sometimes wondered if what he
used to tell me was any use whatsoever, but at least he tried to help in the best way he could. He
was such a character, he had a wicked sense of humour, always bringing sunshine to a rainy day.
To me he was perfect, the best cousin (big bro), anyone could ever wish for. In his last few years
before he passed away, he became very close with my eldest Daughter, Mia. She would refer to him as
Uncle Mike, & he was proud to play that role in her life. He took her under his wing, & shown her
all the love & affection, that he did me as a little girl. Being so much like me when i was young, I
think in his own way, he may of seen Mia, as another chance to do all the things he did for me, all
those years ago!!! Both, Michael & Mia loved & enjoyed every minute of there time spent together!!
(and yes, she also got the tellings off & what she should & shouldn't be doing.... saved me a job
,lol!!)
On the 15th of June, 2006, I gave birth to my 3rd Son, whom i named after Michael. I have never seen
his smile so bright & his ego so big, as the day I brought baby Michael home, when he came round to
congratulate me on yet another addition to the family, and when I told him I was naming him after
him, his eyes filled with tears, of joy of course!! He was over the moon, and walked round all that
day, proud as punch, clucking around with his chest stuck out, like a rooster!!! It was like I'd
given him yet another offspring, in need of him being their role model, teaching them right from
wrong, laughing & playing with them, and spending as much time as he could just being with them!!
And just like me they loved their Uncle Michael with all their hearts. I only wish, that he was
still here with us all. I miss him so much, it like their a huge hole left in all our lives without
him (a Michael shaped hole), an emptiness inside our hearts that nobody can fill or replace!! That
will never go away, of that I'm sure of & there will always be a part of me missing without him !!
Life hasn't been the same, since the day he left us, don't think it ever will, but at least I had
the privelage of having him as my cousin, even if it wasn't for as long as I wanted! But nothing
lasts forever, and it was his time, he was wanted for an angel, as they say only the good die young,
because their job in this world is done in the short time they spent on this earth !
No matter what, I will always remember & love him, and not having him here makes every single moment
I spent with him even more special & dear to me, those thoughts of times will never fade, nobody can
take them away from me, as they are always in my mind for me, to remind me of such a special person,
a much loved Cousin & Uncle Michael.
I will treasure those memories for the rest of my life!! Memories of some sad times,some good times
& believe me, with Michael, some absolutely hilarious times!! But they are his & my time, thats what
counts!!
I miss you Michael, but one day, I know I'll see your smiling face again!! My love & thoughts are
with you forever, until that day comes. Sleep peacefully Mike. I know you'll always be with us,
watching over the family, keeping us safe! Until the day we meet again, let the angels keep you
close beside them, as I did when you were here with me !!!
I love you more than ever, and we all miss you everyday x x x x x