July 2002 at the beach at Charleston
visiting with Mom and Dad

February, 1997

August 2, 2002
Anthony's 21st Birthday

Christmas 2002 with his Dad

Christmas 2002 dinner

Christmas 2002
(Michael shaved his head for style.
He showed no signs of illness.)

Christmas 2002

January 9, 1980 - September 1, 2003

Michael Welter was a bright young man attending college when he discovered that he had cancer. Because this disease has been rare in young people in the past, it is often misdiagnosed or the symptoms are just ignored. Michael had been strong and healthy all of his life, so didn't think much of abdominal pain. By the time he realized that something was terribly wrong, the cancer had spread and his chances of survival were already compromised.

Michael was positively diagnosed with an aggressive, metastatic cancer on Mother's Day weekend in May of 2003. Before long, he could not eat or drink, making it impossible to use alternative therapies. His doctors, like most, firmly believed that chemotherapy would stop the cancer, but they were wrong. Only four months after his diagnosis, Michael passed away on September 1, 2003, leaving only the memories of this wonderful, loving young  man with a sensitive heart.

His mother, Dolores Welter, requested that this page be established in his memory, to remind young people to keep their immune systems healthy, to have regular checkups, to seek out medical attention when there is anything wrong, and to pursue effective natural therapies quickly if they are afflicted with a serious disease such as cancer.

We have included below the text of Celebration to Michael, prepared for what would have been his 25th birthday, January 9, 2005.

Celebration to Michael 

Today is your 25th birthday, my love. I wanted to write something to share with our family and our future family to come. I wanted Anthony’s children to read this letter and feel as if they knew what an incredible soul their Uncle Michael had. 

Where do I begin my angel. I guess first with your name. Michael, the archangel. What a perfect name for you Michael. You have always been my angel from heaven. I want to thank you as I always did for the miraculous gift you gave me 25 years ago. I always said my life began when I first saw you. Grandma remembers me saying to her the first time she saw you in my arms, “Isn’t he the most beautiful baby you ever saw?” I felt that I always knew you. I could not believe that you were my sweet angel from heaven. 

Each day was such a wonderous day just being a part of your life and seeing through your twinkle in your eyes the little things that made you so happy. You grew so quickly, Michael, and before I knew it you were driving, going to college and living away from home. You were so smart beyond your years. You seemed so happy in Charleston, doing what made you happy and that made me so happy.

You and Anthony were so blessed to have each other and to love each other so much as brothers. You always thought you had to protect and worry about him. It was so cute to see, especially since you were not much older than Anthony. 

We all knew how blessed we were also to have you as part of our family, but I was so amazed to learn after talking and reading letters from your friends and their families, how much you touched all of them forever. You made such a difference in so many lives. I wonder if you ever knew that, Michael. 

My angel, you were here for such a short time and I will never understand why, and how this happened, but one thing I know for sure is that your glorious life we shared with you, your incredible laugh, your strong voice and tender hands I always loved to hold, your amazing eyes that were your soul, and most importantly your sensitive heart that you always tried to hide will be a part of me forever. 

I am so grateful to have been blessed for the incredible memories of birthdays, holidays, vacation days, and school days that fill our family album. For now I wrap you in my arms each night and hear your voice before I close my eyes to sleep and wait impatiently until we are together again. You gave us the gift of your life and when it was time for you to say goodbye, you gave us another gift ... your smile. Even then you were thinking of us. That was just like you my love. You were telling us in your way you were okay. You never wanted us to be sad. Michael you are our brave heart and I never felt it more than I did the day you said goodbye. 

We all miss you and carry you in our hearts each day. You will be a part of me until the day comes and I will see your face again and I will say once more, “Isn’t he the most beautiful baby you ever saw?”

Happy Birthday my angel from heaven,
Love you eternally, Mom