Catch Twenty-Two

MIGUEL

December 20, 1974 - July 23, 2023

Miguel was a true gift to our family. He was the youngest of seven children. There was an eight-year gap between him and the second youngest child which made him everybody's "baby". He was loved and cherished.

Miguel was a compassionate, kind and sensitive child with a gentle spirit. The very first time I witnessed these qualities, he was 3 - I was going through the difficult teenage years. I remember being upset and running up to my bedroom. As I sobbed, I could hear his little footsteps coming up the stairs. He climbed onto my bed, laid beside me with his little arm around me saying "me love you"

Growing up, he was an absolute hoot to be around. He was funny, he had a great sense of humor, and he always wanted to entertain those around him. He had a great love and appreciation for music. He began to write music/songs at the age of 15 and continued to do so throughout his entire life. He aspired to be a music artist.

He became a Christian in his teenage years. As a young adult he got involved in the church as a Youth Group Leader and a Drama Team Leader. He wrote, performed and directed skits for the Saturday night church services. He loved to be around children. They were his passion.

The meaning of his name:

MIGUEL: Who is like God: Hebrew

Patron saint of Christian warriors, outgoing, adventurous and one who

dares to be different. Will go the extra mile for a friend, or to have

others say job well done, sharp, witty and clever of speech, words

come easy for him. Loves the challenge of the unknown, testing both

his body and soul.

When he moved to Toronto, he took on many names: Miguel Victorman, Migz, Catch Twenty-Two, Raoul, Pharaoh, Jerzey, and probably many others. If you were lucky, he likely bestowed a nickname upon you as well. He loved the idea of having a larger-than-life persona, and lived absolutely, unapologetically as his most authentic self, and by his own rules. The euphemism "marching to the beat of your own drum" has never been more apt. Disney could not have created a more perfect character of the "Charming Rogue" in the best way possible. He was an artist and a musiphile, with a particular love of Prince, and had the swagger and wardrobe to rival his idol.

All of these descriptions, though accurate, still fail to capture exactly why he was so beloved. Beneath his charming and extroverted exterior, Miguel was a fundamentally gentle and compassionate soul. To find people who are so genuinely gracious and pure hearted is so exceedingly and breathtakingly rare, it's an attribute that made you instinctively want to protect him. His love and loyalty towards others could, at times, render him fallible and fragile. He loved so deeply and felt such loyalty to others, that it became easy for him to feel disenchanted when he felt it wasn't returned in kind.

But to have earned his friendship and trust was a blessing, because there was no one more compassionate and caring. He never missed a chance to celebrate a holiday, a birthday, or even just to support the minutiae of others daily lives. He would invariably show up 'fashionably late' to any event, but always with a heartfelt card or thoughtful gift in hand. He would then somehow persuade you into partaking of some ill-conceived, ridiculous shenanigans, but these are the memories that will still be making us laugh fondly for years to come. He exuded a sense of optimism and positivity, and genuinely encouraged, and lifted up the people he cared for.

Miguel's love of his community, and his commitment to bettering and serving those around him was second only to his personal friendships. He had a seemingly bottomless well of compassion and service to those less fortunate, and he prided himself on bettering the lives of those around him, particularly through his beloved community garden. While he was unable to fulfill his dream of parenthood, he served as an uncle, a mentor, and a role model to so many, precisely because of the incredible person he truly was.

Life, and circumstances were not always fair to Miguel, and yet he never let that change him. So many people, when faced with life's petty injustices allow these hardships to harden their hearts. As we age, these trials can make us bitter and angry, to become cynical or isolated. Miguel was so incredibly unique in that his strength of character remained unchanged and unbroken. He was able to hold onto that intrinsic sense of self that truly believed in the fundamental goodness of others, and the world at large. That too, is so unfathomably rare in people, and was truly admirable.

Perhaps that's why his unexpected passing has been so devastating to those who loved him. The injustice feels monumental, and his loss has profoundly impacted so many people. Miguel was, in a word, unforgettable. Our collective memories, tall tales, and the contagious laughter that he provided us with will be what we carry forward and ensure his legacy will live on.

Until we meet again

"l carry your heart (l carry it in my heart) "