"I feel privileged to belong to the group of those who met Michael. He was the most inspirational person I have ever met not only in my professional career, but also in my personal life. Michael was an example for all of us, and his vision of life, his spirit, his soul, his legacy, are unrepeatable.  He was a unique person. Caring, honest, brave when it came to defending his principles and values. Extremely generous. A visionary man who inspired present and future generations, and devoted to making his community’s life better ….  these are just a few of the many adjectives I could use to describe him. That is why he left his mark in our lives and his memory will always remain in our hearts and our thoughts. Thank you, Michael. We miss you. We always will."