My younger brother, Michael McGowan Jr., passed away unexpectedly on 11/15/2025 at the young age of 33. Although his cause of death has not been officially confirmed yet, it was likely the outcome of years of struggling with addiction, a struggle I'd always thought he'd eventually overcome. Michael was surrounded by friends and had a supportive family who was always there for him, but unfortunately it was not enough. He had actually been doing better recently and seemed to be on a better path, which made his sudden passing all the harder to accept. Taking care of his final arrangements is not something I was prepared for on any level-- but it is the last thing I can ever do for him, so I want to do it right. Unfortunately, I can't afford to give him the send off he deserves.

Michael was a larger-than-life person, he lived an adventurous life filled with friendship, family and adventure. He was still figuring out what he wanted to do with his life, but he always knew it wouldn't be a desk job. He loved the outdoors, collecting native art, mining for gold, and cooking. He was known for his generous nature and his ability to make friends with literally anyone.

The funds raised will help me pay for Michael's cremation, a hand-crafted custom urn, keepsake mini urns for his closest family members to keep him close, the flight to Solo Creek where we'd like to bring his ashes to rest. Additional funds would go towards a celebration of life for family and friends in the summer months. I'm also hoping we might be able to get him a nice headstone, and exploring options for having a small portion of his ashes turned into a piece of art. Any support to help honor Michael's memory and give him the send-off he deserves would mean so much to me and our family.