Fundraiser for Michael "Micky" Williamson

Dear friends,

My name is Brian Milici and I am writing today with a heavy heart to let everyone know of the sudden passing of Michael "Micky" Williamson on 07/24/2023 early in the morning.

He leaves behind Shadow, his beloved cat and Rob Klein, his roommate and close friend.

Michael had fallen on very difficult times with his health, and in recent years was beset with congestive heart failure along with a lifelong struggle with self-destructive behaviors. A sudden heart attack left him ultimately unresponsive and was admitted to the ICU. His body battled back but the brain damage was too severe. Michael leaves behind no will, nor savings to cover the possible cost of end-of-life services.

Currently, no obituary has been released and as we do not know Michael's preference towards a cremation or burial we are looking at the different services available and therefore what costs we need to cover. As a result, no memorial or funeral services have been held at this time but a decision will need to be made soon as the coroner won't hold the body for very long.

Michael was living with one of his last close friends that stood with him to the end, Rob. Rob helped support Michael both medically and financially throughout, but it simply was not enough to sustain him.

Michael was a very good friend so much of the time. Smart and sarcastic, he had a very difficult life with divorced parents and a single mother who was deep in an unresolved mental health crisis. It truly was remarkable he led as functional and as decent a life as he did, but the demons simply did not abate, and we are at this sad place of remembering all the good in which we all shared.

Michael grew up in Uptown New Orleans, but he also spent many years of his life bouncing back and forth to Atlanta, where his absentee father lived. We met in elementary school at Holy Name of Jesus in New Orleans. Eventually, we both headed to Jesuit for high school and then ultimately to the campus of the University of New Orleans. We remained friends throughout.

It was in high school that Michael met his best friend Stephen Bayhi. The two became so close that when Michael was left homeless during one of his mother's episodes that the Bayhi family took action. Stephen's family all but adopted Michael as they welcomed him into their family. Michael's infectious nature and genuine love and sacrifice for those he cared deeply for were many of the reasons we all have loved him.

Michael loved his cat Shadow with all his heart. She was a constant source of love and comfort to him over the years. Due to the upheaval in his family life, his friends became his family, for better or worse, and supported him through his life in many different ways. Michael was often surprisingly very giving in ways you wouldn't expect. Years ago he spent many days and nights building a website to engage with the WoW community and came across a mother struggling with the medical costs of her daughter who suffered from a very difficult condition. He went to the trouble to set up a fundraiser (this was way before GoFundMe) and ultimately raised $8000 to help this woman he merely thought was a good person and deserved some help. He loved fully and deeply his entire life. We all have our battles in life but when Michael was there for you, he was there for you. He constantly fought, and though we all falter, even near the end he still wanted to find a healthier method of coping and to just get better.

I loved him like a brother for much of my time knowing him.

I hope that you can find it within you, if you are so capable, to please donate so that he may find some measure of peace, and his body be laid to rest.

I apologize. This has been very difficult for everyone and much harder to write than I ever imagined. Thank you so much.

Remember to smile.