Mike(MCB) was a long time regular on the James Gang and avid BHWEB member. He passed away this afternoon from complications after his battle with neck and spinal cancer.

A little over a year ago, Mike courageously battled a sudden cancer that nearly paralyzed him and put him in the hospital for over 2 months. The tumors surrounded his neck and base of the brain and cut off the nerve signals to the rest of his body.

He showed his strength and courage, and beat that disease after a tenuous surgery that removed about 80% of the tumors that wrapped around the spinal chord. He built his strength through physical therapy with the goal that he could get out on the boat to fish again. He accomplished that this past spring, and joined me along with his long time friend Wayne Salvi for a sea bass trip.

Last week Mike got results from an MRI that showed his cancer was no longer showing up. He took a ride down to see me, and we were planning blackfish trips for this fall. On Wednesday, his wife sent me a text that Mike had taken a turn for the worse. It seems the tumor damaged a vital nerve that controlled bodily function, and overnight, he was in the hospital and on life support. He passed away this afternoon.

I had to search my archives for a photo of Mike. He was a great fisherman, and caught many an impressive fish, but he preferred to be the guy behind the camera and took more joy in taking photos of others and their catches. He will be deeply missed on the James Gang and our sympathy and prayers go out to his family.