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Deceased Classmate: Michael Gosnell
Date Deceased: 11-30-1994
Age at Death: 20
Cause of Death: cancer
Classmate City: Brunson
Classmate State: SC
Classmate Country: USA
Survived By: father: Pete Gosnell brother: Jerry Gosnell neice: Kayla Gosnell mother: Betty Gosnell (d. 2003)
Michael was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma at the end of his freshman year. He battled cancer all through high school and in to his adult life. He later relapsed with Leukemia and had to have a bone marrow transplant at age 19. After the transplant, he did exceedingly well for a while, but had an abrupt relapse in fall of 1994. He passed on November 30, 1994. Michael was an unselfish individual who loved life. He gave freely of his time expecting nothing in return. As sick as he was, he always wore a smile on his face and looked forward to each day. He was a loyal friend and often cared about others way more than he cared about himself. There wasn't anything he would not do for his friends and family. Michael also had a strong faith in God and believed that everything he went through happened for a reason. He never questioned his circumstance.
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Christi Wickliffe (Bessinger)
Interesting fact: There are two class of '92 members who have children that are named after Michael Gosnell; Leslie Harriott's first born son is named Michael, and Christi Wickliffe's first born daughter is named Michaela.Christi Wickliffe (Bessinger)
This is a blog I wrote about Michael a while back. What a loss for all of us! He was the greatest!!Michael Anthony Gosnell
July 22, 1974 – November 30, 1994
If you are lucky enough, you will meet at least one person in your life who knows everything about you, but loves you anyway—and I don’t mean moms or grandmas and grandpas—they have to love you anyway! I got lucky or better yet I was blessed in when I met my bestest friend in the whole wide world, Michael Gosnell. It was the first day of 8th grade (actually I met him 2 years prior at my cousin’s birthday party). My mom had just moved me from the resort town of Myrtle Beach (where I spent most of my childhood) to her hometown of Hampton, SC. I was less than excited. I mean these kids in Hampton did not get me, the way I dressed or wore my hair, and Lord knows, they had never heard of most of the music I listened to!! I was sure that I was doomed to spend my time in that little one horse town bored and lonely—how wrong I was.
I met Michael on that first day of school. He was a big guy with a big smile, and I would find out later and even bigger heart. On that first day of school, one of our teachers asked us to state what it was we looked for in a friend. My reply was simply someone honest, who would always say exactly what they thought. Well, honey let me tell you, Michael took these words to heart. From that day forward he was always brutally honest with me. Whether it was about my hair, an outfit I was wearing or a boy I was talking to, he never failed to let me know EXACTLY what he thought. Honestly, he was usually right!
At the end of 9th grade, Michael noticed a golf ball sized lump on his throat. It wasn’t bothering him, but after consulting several doctors he and his family learned that it was in fact a tumor. The tumor was removed, but he was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. He told me like it was no big deal, and he seemed to feel fine so I didn’t worry too much. He said he would go to Charleston for treatment for about 1 week a month until the cancer was gone. No biggie! When he would go into the hospital I would send him motivational notes with quotes and song lyrics. His favorite of these became the popular Bobby McFerrin tune “Don’t worry, be happy”. This became Michael’s motto. By the time we were juniors at Wade Hampton he had battled cancer and had gone into remission; however, in time he would eventually relapse and be diagnosed with Leukemia. As always, he continued to fight. Through it all, he never went on home bound schooling. He went everyday he could and made good enough grades to get by, and his attitude remained upbeat and positive—ALWAYS!
Upon graduation in 1992, Michael learned that he had relapsed again and that a bone marrow transplant was in order; however, the hard part would be finding a donor. None of his family members were matches, nor were any of those listed on the national bone marrow registry. The procedure was put off until about a year later, and they would opt to harvest his own bone marrow to use for the transplant. By the time Michael had his transplant, I was living in Myrtle Beach once again and attending Coastal Carolina University. After the surgery, Michael would be confined to his hospital room and later to a sterile apartment on the campus of MUSC for about a month. I tried to visit often as he hated being cooped up like that. I would attend class, go to my part time job at the mall, then at 9 p.m. I would drive to Charleston to visit. I usually spent the night and got up early the following morning in order to drive back to Myrtle Beach for school. It was very stressful at the time, but well worth it in the long run!
After the transplant and recovery, Michael looked and felt better than ever. He was back to running the roads like always. In June of 1994, I attended the Hampton County Watermelon Festival (as I have every year since my birth). Michael was doing well, but I began to feel very homesick. While I loved my life in Myrtle Beach, I had this nagging feeling that I should be closer to everyone. When I returned to Myrtle Beach that weekend, I decided I would move home for a while (this was no accident). About a month later, I came back to the area and actually decided to move to Beaufort where my mom was living at the time. That way I could go to school and find a decent job. On my first day of work at the Harbor House on Fripp Island, I received a call from Michael’s brother Jerry. Michael was back in the hospital and not doing real well. After spending months in and out of the hospital that fall, people began saying that he might not make it. BULLS#%T! Michael had beat this so many times over. There was no way I was giving up on him. Looking back, I think I may have been in a little bit of denial, but I couldn’t fathom a world without Michael in it. He was going to be the one to walk me down the aisle when I got married. He would be the godfather of my children. How could he do these things if he was dead! I NEVER considered that an option.
Around Thanksgiving of 1994, Michael got very ill. Not before he went backstage and met his idol Reba McIntire at his first Reba concert, mind you! My head knew that he could die, though I don’t think my heart ever accepted that. I did; however write Michael about a 5 page letter telling him how much I loved him and thanking him for all he had done for me—for being my rock all those years when he was the one with real problems. I also assured him that I would not give up on him. Michael had a strict policy that no one was allowed to cry about him in front of him, so I left the room as he read it. When I returned, he didn’t have to say a word. His eyes told me that he understood and was glad to be my forever friend. A few days later, I was staying with my mom on Fripp Island the night before an exam. After I took my exam, I had planned to go directly to Charleston to visit Michael. I was studying on my mom’s bed when she walked in the room. Before she left, I said, “may I borrow your black velvet dress? You know, just in case”. She didn’t say a word and pulled it from the closet. About 30 minutes later I heard the phone ring. Next I heard my mom coming up the stairs crying. I snatched the phone from her to be greeted by Michael’s brother Jerry. He told me that they did not expect Michael to make it through the night. My mom and I jumped in the car and headed to Charleston. We arrived at midnight. I walked in the room as Michael was about to slip into a coma. I told him, “I’m here and I love you”. Soon after, he closed his eyes and slept through the night.
I sat awake all night in a chair by his bed holding his hand and begging him not to go. About 11 o’clock the next morning, I laid down on a cot in the room as I was so tired. About noon, I awoke to a lot of talking and commotion in the room. Everyone was in there. Then, Michael began to breathe heavily and erratically. I sat up and my heart sank. I knew what was about to happen and I had no way to stop it. I heard his mom say to his dad, “Pete, it’s time”. Michael sat up in the bed, opened his eyes, looked around and then collapsed. At that moment I began to hyperventilate uncontrollably until someone took me out of the room.
My best friend was gone. I wanted to punch, kick and spit on someone. Why him? Who would get me through this? Who would give me away at my wedding? Who would I tell all my secrets and problems to? Who would pick me up when I was down? Of all the crappy people in this world, why did God take him?
I’m not an overly religious person, but I do believe that God chose me to be Michael’s friend. I believe that he put me in Michael’s life for a reason. I believe I was chosen because I believe that God knew I was strong enough to stand beside Michael while he fought cancer and he knew I would believe in him and not leave him in tough times. And Michael was put in my life to teach me about unconditional love, generosity and selflessness. I am a better person for having been Michael’s friend.
The summer of 1995, Michael and I were supposed to attend Camp Happy Days and Special Times (a camp for kids with cancer) together as counselors. Of course, Michael died before that happened. I had to decide whether or not I would follow through with it after his death, and although I was scared to death, I went alone and continued serving as a counselor at the camp for 5 years. I also helped the organization out at other events throughout the year. Once I started having children, it was hard for me to go every year, but I still do anything I can for kids with cancer.
All these years later, the pain is still there. There will always be a void in my life from Michael leaving this world, but I know he’s is watching over me, and I know I will see him again. After Michael died he visited me often in my dreams—vivid dreams that I feel sure were his way of communicating with me. In fact, in November of 1998 I had an extremely real dream where Michael entered my mom’s house with his key as he always did, and said,”you need to have a baby”. In January 1999 I became pregnant with my first child, Michaela. Coincidence? I think not, and yes, she is named for him.
Michael, if you are listening, you were one of the greatest things that ever happened to me. You saw through to my soul and knew the true me that few will ever get to know. I would have rather had a friend like you for only a few years than an ordinary friend for a lifetime. You will always be my friend, and I will always love you. Thank you for everything and for always being there for me. Thank you for risking getting your butt beat that night when BH said all those ugly things about me after I broke up with his dumb behind—I thought you were gonna tear that Hardee’s door off the hinges! Thank you for mending my broken heart everytime some stupid boy hurt me. I will never have another friend like you! I miss you terribly, but I know you’re up there taking care of your mom and my grandmother—do kiss and hug them both for me! Save a place for me too! I love you and I know we used to joke about it, but you ARE THE WIND BENEATH MY WINGS!!
Christi Wickliffe-Bessinger
Tatiana Williams
What a fun loving individual. Michael, Christ Wickliffe-Bessinger and I had the most fun in Mrs. Miller's 12th grade English class. Michael was a true friend and a jewel. If you knew him, you knew someone very special. The hardest thing I have done so far in my life, that I can think of, was to have the opportunity and privilage to sing at Michael's funeral. A song I had never heard of until the night of his viewing, one I will never forget. "Friends". What a beautiful song. The chorus states - Friends are friends forever, if the Lord's the Lord of them, and a friend will not say never cause the welcome will not end. Though it's hard to let you go, in the Father's hands we know, that a lifetime's not too long, to live as friends. I love you and miss you Mike and I'm blessed to have known you.B. DeLon Henderson (Henderson)
Michael - he was a fun-loving guy. When I see his name, I see a big smile. He always had a smile on his face. I cannot remember him ever looking down or feeling down about his condition. I remember when we (Mrs. Norment's biology II class) visited him in Charleston while we were on a field trip. He was so happy to see us. He did not even look sick. (except for his hair loss due to the therapy)It makes you ponder, "Why do bad things happen to good people." We may never understand, however, there is one who is greater and knows all. One day we will understand it all, in the fullness of time.
Rest, my brother, I am sure your smile has gotten a little brighter, just as heaven has gotten a little sweeter.
Cynthia Myers
MISS U MIKE.. THE LAUGHS AND SMILE (RIP)Latresa Grant (Doctor)
Mike,i miss you so much.We go way back.You was a good friend of mine every since we was at HES.Always smiling and always encouraging.I'm glad you were apart of my life.