Mikey's patch is green for a few reasons. It was his favorite color and he was buried on St. Patrick's Day. The starts represent the heavens, of which Mikey is surely watching us from. The ERT pin stands for Education, Research and Trust of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.
Mikey had asthma. He joined the asthma research program at the University of Pennsylvania trying to help himself and others. Mikey died trying at the age of twenty-five. We, his family and friends, continue to fight his fight against asthma with an annual benefit in his name to A A A A & I.
Mikey was full of life, had many friends and a great desire to help others. He wanted to be an organ donor, as though, even in death he could reach out and help others.
Sometimes we fear we wouldn't remember the sound of Mikey's laughter or the look on his face while he told us of his weekend. But we discovered he never can be taken from us, even if we have trouble remembering the sound of his laughter or the look on his face. He's here in our hearts and always will be.
The family and friends of Michael A. Donnelly, Jr.