Michael Alexander was born in Red Bank, NJ on February 21, 1982. He was the oldest of five children, and grew up in Hazlet, NJ. Michael attended Raritan High School, where he developed a love for wrestling. Michael was a district champion and a second place state champion, which led him to go on to wrestle at Rutgers University. He coached wrestling at Hazlet Middle School and helped coach for Raritan High School. Michael also opened his own wrestling club in Hazlet, NJ where he helped several children improve their techniques. 

At the age of 18, Michael started dating Lauren. They fell deeply in love. He studied History at Rutgers for years while Lauren also attended Rutgers University. They were engaged to be married when Michael was diagnosed with cancer. Michael Alexander was an amazing man who had the strongest will to live. He was diagnosed with a very rare and deadly form of childhood cancer at age 26 called rhabdomyosarcoma. He and his fiancé battled the cancer in a way that displayed pure love for one another. Michael went through extremely aggressive chemotherapy and radiation and went into remission for eight months before the cancer returned.  He even worked at AIG for private client insurance sales.

Michael was being treated at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in the Pediatric Department, and each and every day he and his fiancé were humbled by the tons of children who multi-tasked just being kids and battling terminal illness. Michael called them "little warriors," and seeing them fight gave him the strength to endure his difficult battle. "If they can do it, so can I," he'd say, never wishing to be with the adults. Michael married his high school sweetheart Lauren, and they were married for about a year and a half before Michael passed away courageously in September 2009. He will be sorely missed, but never forgotten.

Written by Lauren Alexander, Michael’s Wife
October 2011