“Man, you have got some impressive chest salad going on.” That’s the way I started my last conversation with Michael Hankins, as I reached to fluff up his mound of chest hair at our neighborhood pool party.
This morning, an ambulance was parked down the road in front of his house. I texted Michael to ask, “Are you all okay?” He was not okay, and I will never get a text from him again.
Michael was working to create the best version of himself. He was always ready to talk, whether when I walked by his house while he was watering his plants or working on his new fish pond, or the many times we texted about life.
He loved to bake; holiday baking seemed to be a chore, but I know he loved it. He loved his plants, indoors and out.
Of course we all go through trials, and Michael had his share. He had a lot of loss in his life. He lost his mom at 5, his dad at 12 and his sister when she was 29.
He was an original member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity at UTC, and he cherished that. Just like many of us, he sure did like to party and drink. And he readily admitted that he did it ‘better’ than many. But he fought back and had made amends, and we talked about his past struggles.
He lived in fear for a long time. He hid being gay for years, and then he finally embraced it. He told me one time, “I can change the oil in my truck and make a big fuss about clothes. It’s a thing of art.” He loved his dear husband, George. He was the best thing that happened to Michael.
Michael was a highly respected educator in our community.
He and George had just returned from an awesome trip to Massachusetts, and he was getting ready to start back as an exceptional education teacher at Ooltewah High School.
And this Fall, he was starting his doctorate in educational leadership.
He was my friend, and he was a fun neighbor.
I believe he knew this: he had a lot of people cheering for him, and he knew that many people loved him unconditionally.
And, while we may not be okay, I know he is okay as he reunites with his parents and sister.
A couple quotes he has shared that define the Michael I will remember:
“At the end of the day, the only questions I will ask myself are: Did I love enough? Did I laugh enough? Did I make a difference?”
“If you are more fortunate than others, build a longer table, not a taller fence.”
Rest well, brother.
https://www.chattanoogan.com/2021/8/11/432699/Jesse-Michael-Hankins.aspx
