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