Relatives

Michael J. McCullough's childhood is something he will never forget—growing up in a beautiful neighborhood with lots of other kids was precious to him, and due to his time in Catholic grade schools, he learned to play with large numbers of kids. Often, he and his classmates spent a lot of time learning how to play baseball and football, which they continued to play against each other in other grade schools. In the classroom, however, being taught by a nun was a unique experience for Michael, as one nun had to handle a classroom of about 60 to 100 kids depending on which school you attended. He remembers he was taught to thoroughly pay attention in class and study when he was home, which he did diligently. At home, some parents had jobs, meaning that other parents were keeping an eye on the neighborhood kids. His neighborhood was wonderful; back in those days there were no cell phones or iPads to keep him entertained; he had wall ball, stick ball, and good old pimple ball. Michael had great parents; they allowed him to play ice hockey, which was a sport that remained in his life for the next 23 years. His mom loved watching him and his teammates skate around. However, sadly, she had MS, a disease that was very little known at the time, which often prevented her from watching him play. His mother passed away when he was just 19 years old, leaving his dad and him on their own. Despite this, Michael had a wonderful upbringing that forced him to learn a lot. He considers himself blessed and couldn't be happier. He wishes to thank his mom, dad, and all his aunts and uncles for making his childhood so memorable.