Author Topic: Mike Cleaver (Read 1288 times)

Flyin6 · « **on:** February 16, 2021, 05:24:06 PM »

From: Mike Cleaver <mtcleaver@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, February 16, 2021 4:56 PM
To: hoverjunkie@hotmail.com <hoverjunkie@hotmail.com>
Subject: My status

Don

Just wanted to sent a quick note letting you know that I have suffered major lung failure and not expected to make it past tonight. Too many organs with cancer and they are starting to fail.

I really enjoyed the fellowship and forums over the years and wanted you to know the joy I received.

Take care and keep it up. See you upstairs one day.

Mike Cleaver

Mike,

I am heartbroken at hearing this. I know you know Jesus and he will be there immediately after our last breath. That is the only comfort I take in this. I have prayed for you over and over. and I will now and through the coming hours. I am so sorry this has to happen to good men. Why can't we just have an on/off switch.

You are a good man. You gave every year toward helping others even though you battled cancer. You were always upbeat and hopeful. You have been an unbelievable example of how a strong man faces his ultimate challenge. You are truly an example to us all. I wish I could shake your hand and say thanks, and see you in debriefing when the mission is over, but everyman walks into eternity either alone or with our savior. Please tell him thanks for me for giving me a friend like you!
.
You have been a caring and trustworthy friend and your priorities and morals/values have always been in the right place. I will miss seeing your name come up on the site.

You are a Real Man and always have been

Cry out to him, Mike, he is waiting...

Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil, for thou art with me...

Love you, brother!

Don Harward
Aviator, US Army, Retired
Author of: Distant Thunder

Nate · « **Reply #1 on:** February 16, 2021, 05:45:34 PM »

Thank you!

I have sent my prayer and condolences to his family.

EL TATE · « **Reply #2 on:** February 16, 2021, 06:39:17 PM »

Thank you for sharing this Don.

TexasRedNeck · « **Reply #3 on:** February 16, 2021, 07:59:21 PM »

Thanks Don. I’m reminded of:

2 Corinthians Chapter 5

1 For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, 3 inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked. 4 For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. 5 Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge.

6 Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord— 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight— 8 we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. 9 Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

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oklawall · « **Reply #4 on:** February 16, 2021, 09:14:36 PM »

Thank you Don for sharing.

stlaser · « **Reply #5 on:** February 16, 2021, 10:29:42 PM »

Thank you for sharing Don

Bigdave_185 · « **Reply #6 on:** February 16, 2021, 10:31:34 PM »

Very touching to read, thank you for sharing

Any word Don? Way of contact with his wife at all?

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Flyin6 · « **Reply #7 on:** February 16, 2021, 10:45:11 PM »

No contact...

Sammconn · « **Reply #8 on:** February 16, 2021, 10:55:28 PM »

Thanks for sharing Don.

Bigdave_185 · « **Reply #9 on:** February 16, 2021, 11:08:34 PM »

Quote from: Flyin6 on February 16, 2021, 10:45:11 PM

No contact...

Maybe we can watch for funeral arrangements and send flowers or such?

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dave945 · « **Reply #10 on:** February 17, 2021, 04:15:28 AM »

Thanks Don for sharing this. I’m reminded of my uncles funeral recently where they had local emergency dispatch make a final call for him on the radio as retired FD chief. That’s how this feels to me.

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Flyin6 · « **Reply #11 on:** February 17, 2021, 09:18:35 AM »

Gentlemen, Nothing heard as of this morning.

Perhaps he fights on, perhaps he is walking with our father, I don't know

We will send flowers or something if I can find out where they are, and what arrangements that may be forthcoming.

Mike was a special guy. In the coming days, week or so, I will share some of that with you. While I was dreaming last night, I thought of a suitable tribute for the man that properly honors and recognizes him here at RealMan.

KensAuto · « **Reply #12 on:** February 17, 2021, 12:45:16 PM »

For those that don't know, Mike's screen name is "Cruizng".

cj7ox · « **Reply #13 on:** February 17, 2021, 01:09:06 PM »

My thoughts and prayers go out to Mike and his family. If he has shed this mortal coil, I am sure he has found peace and comfort.

Atkinsmatt · « **Reply #14 on:** February 17, 2021, 10:09:44 PM »

Lifting up Mike and his family.

Flyin6 · « **Reply #15 on:** February 18, 2021, 05:26:59 PM »

I haven't heard anything from Mike nor his family since that singular email, so I am assuming Mike has passed as he predicted.

I wanted to mention a couple of things about him that only I would have been aware of. Mike was a selfless guy who gave freely and did so long before I got to know him. When we first started giving to folks in need at Christmas, Mike was almost always the biggest contributor. He not only donated a larger single sum than almost anybody else, but on some years he would donate twice. He was faithful to the Christmas gifting effort from its very beginning up until this past December, a time when he was very sick and less than two months from his death.

Mike struggled with his faith some, and we emailed back and forth about it. I could see the issue, as is true for just about all of us, was with people in the church. Church would be an ideal place if it weren't for all the people there it is often said, and almost everyone has a story about someone or something that has given us a bad taste for our place of worship. At the core of the man, he did believe in Christ being the son of God and worked through the Romans 10:9 process of coming to salvation.

He questioned himself to me a couple of times about not standing up to the growing liberalism, and regretfully, I called him out on it once. I apologized and we spoke and came to terms with that, but I could see he, like most of us, was a frustrated patriot. We warriors and "forward in the foxhole" types want to actively do something to prevent this cancerous destruction of our society and culture, but Mike saw that effort as one that was not going to matter. He would have stood up and held the line if it ever came to that, and of that I am sure.

I saw him as a gentle, giving, and caring man who loved to share the experiences of people who often visit this forum. The morning after I got the email, and very likely, the morning after he left this world for the next, I dreamed and awoke thinking his heartfelt giving was the very essence of the Christmas give-away fund that we collect annually. In my mind's eye I could see the Christmas giveaway becoming the Mike Cleaver Christmas give away.

I am thinking that unless someone here has a rational objection, I would like to move forward with Real-Man naming what we do, "The Mike Cleaver Christmas Give-Away."

oklawall · « **Reply #16 on:** February 18, 2021, 06:41:04 PM »

Don,

I didn't know him except talking briefly on the forum. I would not object to giving a name of thw Christmas gift in his honor

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Nate · « **Reply #17 on:** February 18, 2021, 07:47:06 PM »

Got my vote

Bigdave_185 · « **Reply #18 on:** February 18, 2021, 08:26:42 PM »

Seems like a good idea to me, any way we can create a website or a link we can share based off a story about the man, How cool would it be to have it large enough his kin come across the name sake and think

wow!

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KensAuto · « **Reply #19 on:** February 18, 2021, 09:58:15 PM »

Great idea boss.

Farmer Jon · « **Reply #20 on:** February 19, 2021, 06:40:15 AM »

Sounds like a great idea.

cj7ox · « **Reply #21 on:** February 19, 2021, 02:20:15 PM »

I agree, Don. Name it after Mike!

JR · « **Reply #22 on:** February 19, 2021, 03:27:51 PM »

Yep,

Flyin6 · « **Reply #23 on:** February 19, 2021, 04:21:12 PM »

OK then, enough of you good men have spoken.

We will give in honor of Mike Cleaver each Christmas to someone in need of help.

Done!

Atkinsmatt · « **Reply #24 on:** February 20, 2021, 02:55:29 PM »

Sounds like a plan.

Sammconn · « **Reply #25 on:** February 20, 2021, 07:46:41 PM »

I like it.
Prayers to Mike and his family.