Michael J. Coakley

Michael was born on September 17, 1985 and died on December 16, 2017 from a Fentanyl overdose. The night before Michael died he made stir-fry for our family dinner.  Never could any of us have fathomed that in 24 hours he would be taken from us forever! As a young boy in grade school I remember one mother saying that by all accounts Michael should be running around naked as every bit of clothing in the lost and found had his name on it. I remember another story when he was trying to get out of going to school by feigning an upset stomach; and went so far as to create a proof of illness by mixing crushed up Captain Crunch with orange juice and pouring it into the toilet making vomit noises. Unfortunately for him, he forgot to close the bathroom door and his mom stood behind him watching the whole scene. In high school, Mike was a bit of a wild card. I swear we were going to give him up for adoption. Instead we decided that shipping him off to a therapeutic wilderness camp in the middle of nowhere might just do the trick. Fortunately, it did! He came back with a new set of survival skills and an adventurous spirit. He had a serious case of wanderlust, a trait he picked up from his mother. He spent a year in Spain, after high school studying Spanish. While at Northeastern University, he spent a semester working on an organic vineyard in Chile. He was a hard core Boston sports fan, loving the Red Sox, Celtics and Bruins! What took center stage in Mikes life were his family and friends. Michael had a core group throughout high school and college who despite distance and time remained very close, some even becoming like family. Mike loved his family. He was a great son, brother, nephew, Grandson and cousin to us all. One of the most significant ways Mike showed his love for his family was by taking care of his wonderful Grandmother Claire. He was so gentle and kind with her. Her face would light up when he walked in the room. Even in the depths of dementia he could make her laugh! One more telling part of Mikes character was the girl he chose to be his beloved partner. Denise is a beautiful person inside and out and she made him so happy. She brought the best out of Mike every day.

We are so thankful for having Mike in our lives for 32 years and even more thankful that most of the memories we have we can laugh about. Mike was one funny guy!

We have chosen to honor his life by establishing a scholarship fund in his name. The Family Restored Scholarship Fund provides financial support for families struggling with addiction. To make a donation in Michael’s name, please click the button below.