Monday morning, January 4, approximately 1,000 people filled a church to remember a wonderful young man, Michael Warren. Wednesday evening, January 6, hundreds more gathered in a chapel on the campus of the University of Georgia to do the same thing. Michael Warren is a young man who touched a lot of lives and made a difference in this world during his 21 years with us. His legacy will continue to flow through each and every one of us who knew him and loved him.
Michael Warren was not the kind of kid who was easily overlooked. He wouldn’t stand for it. Not because he needed to be the center of attention, but because he had an innate desire to meet and talk to everyone around him. He loved people and he loved to talk, but not about himself so much. He was usually asking questions or telling stories. He was curious and he loved to learn about people, places, things, etc.
On the evening of December 31, 2009, Michael had a few options for what to do to ring in the new year. He had a strong group of friends from a local youth ministry he was involved with that wanted him to stay on St. Simons Island to celebrate. They loved Michael and wanted him around. There was also a group of friends up in Athens, probably friends he met through a campus ministry, that he wanted to spend New Year’s Eve with, and that’s the group that won out in the end. Michael got on the road to Athens mid afternoon.
He never made it there.
About 30 minutes before getting to campus, another young man about the same age as Michael was on his way home. He was exhausted after spending a day and a half with his sister who was in labor at an Athens hospital. He was obviously a young man who loved his family, like Michael did. The birth of his sister’s child meant so much to him, he didn’t want to leave her, but when the baby proved to be in no big hurry to make her arrival, the uncle decided to head home, shower and get a change of clothes. No one will probably ever know exactly how everything played out, but the pick-up truck this young man was driving crossed the center line and hit Michael’s SUV head on.
I can only imagine what that young man’s family is experiencing, but I don’t know him or his family. I do know Michael, and I’m able to see how his wonderful family is grieving the loss of an awesome son and a wonderful big brother.
Michael and my son Jacob are friends. I purposely use the present tense verb “are” because their friendship never ended. Not when Jacob died, and certainly not when Michael died. In fact, that friendship was made perfect on the night of December 31, 2009, when these two guys were once again face to face… but in Heaven.
Michael and Jacob met in 6th grade at Glynn Middle School. Both guys got involved with FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) at the school. They got to know each other even better when they joined a Bible study of guys their age through the local youth ministry, The Gathering Place. They met once a week during the school year at 7 am. The two of them remained together in a Bible study until they graduated from high school. By that time, only three guys remained: Michael Warren, Jacob Nyenhuis and Matthew McCormick.
All three of those guys went to the University of Georgia together. In fact, they all became residents of Russell Hall, a high-rise dorm on campus. Five weeks into their freshman year of college, two of the threesome – Jacob and Matthew – were in an accident. It was September 24, 2006. Jacob died and Matthew was about as close to death as you can come.
That accident had a huge effect on Michael. He spent the next months trying to make sense of it all. In the end, Michael’s faith grew deeper and he resolved to make a difference in this world. He wanted to help make other people’s lives better.
Jacob had that same passion before he died.
Both of these guys didn’t just think about helping to improve the lives of others–they actually did something about it.
Jacob was making money through real estate transactions, starting at the age of 15, and giving a good portion of that money away. At times he gave it to the church, other times he gave it to friends or even a family member in need. His ultimate goal was to start a foundation. He wanted to help people live life fully and fulfill their dreams.
I think that’s what Jesus wanted for people too. That’s why Jesus came.
Michael was raising his own funds to go on mission trips. He was reaching out and ministering to people all around him in his hometown and his college town. Sometimes he was reaching people through formal groups or teams on which he served both at home and college. Other times he was just doing his own thing… being Michael. One of his many gifts was the ability to remember names and details about people. If he had met you once, he likely remembered you and said your name the next time he saw you. He made people feel special. He took time for people. He loved people. He saw the good in people and all the potential that resided there.
Sounds like Jesus, doesn’t it?
On a very personal note, Michael was a blessing to our family. He never forgot about Jacob, and he made a point of letting us know that. Michael would stop by our house when he was home. He also wrote about Jacob on occasion. He would keep us up to date on his mission trips and stay connected on Facebook. We enjoyed reading his blog posts and Facebook notes.
When he returned home from one of his mission trips, he came by the house and gave our daughter, Raleigh, a pair of slippers he had bought for her while he was overseas. He had a way of making people feel important and special. When my husband spoke at a Main Event of The Gathering Place ministry the summer of 2008, Michael stated that he wanted to help introduce Mr. Nyenhuis, and he did, along with Raleigh and our close family friend John Belt.
Michael always let us know that Jacob was special to him. He said he’d always look for Jacob’s cross when he traveled highway 15. It was only minutes down the road that his own accident took place. How ironic.
Two great guys with big hearts and big dreams. Michael was going to change the world and so was Jacob, but they both were taken from us. We all need to grieve that loss and this temporary separation, but they wouldn’t want us to give up or get lost in sorrow. They would want us to keep doing the good things they were already doing and keep their dreams alive.
Our family formally established The J9 Foundation less than two months after Jacob’s death. Through the foundation, we have already awarded three $8,000 scholarships to a Glynn Academy graduate who possesses a compassionate entrepreneurial spirit much like Jacob’s. We have also trained 60 young people in Africa to run their own businesses. To learn more about the foundation, you can visit http://www.j9foundation.org.
Michael’s family already has plans to form a foundation that will help other college students go on mission trips and make a difference in this world, just like Michael did. Any memorial gifts given to Frederica Baptist Church on St. Simons Island, GA that are marked for Michael Warren will be put toward the foundation.
Their dreams and passion will live on. They will continue to make a difference in this world.
Journey Of Grief ~ Journey Of Grace 