A Washington father, who also served in the Army, announced his own death in a touching tribute to himself and his loved ones that has gone viral and has been declared the “best obituary ever.”
“Michael De Simone regrettably informs you that he is no longer alive,” read his obituary, the Centralia Chronicle published on Thursday.
“This was not the plan. He expected to be alive somewhat longer in order to do many more things,” De Simone said. “Unfortunately, there was some measure of disagreement between his mind and his body, and the arguments made by his body were, in the end, more persuasive.”
De Simone, who suffered a stroke earlier in the year, was recently hospitalized and died from a cardiac event on Aug. 21, his friend Mark Campanella wrote on Facebook.
The 51-year-old father of two quipped that he died “exiting the world the way he entered it: eating pizza.”
De Simone noted his age at death may have seemed young but ensured he was at peace.
“He was 51 years old when he died, which is young for a man but quite old for a dog, so he left the world at peace in the knowledge that he outlived many, many dogs,” he said.
The Maryland native, who lived in Olympia, Wash., considered himself an explorer of the world with the amount of traveling he did in his life compared to a man in the Middle Ages.
“He also traveled extremely widely, for work and pleasure, visiting every continent save Antarctica, which no one counts because it’s cold. He also took great solace in knowing that, in the great breadth of human history, very, very few people among the billions of human souls ever did much in the way of traveling, while he did a lot,” De Simone wrote. “Compared to a 12th-century nobleman, he basically saw the entire world, and he wasn’t even a nepobaby like some king.”
De Simone revealed some of the negatives of his death, saying he would no longer get to physically love his family and friends.
“The one big downside to not being alive is not being with the people one loves, and he loves a lot of people a great deal,” he wrote.
De Simone is survived by his wife, Daisy, whom he called his “sweetheart” in every aspect of their lives together, from the time they met in high school to serving in the Army, having children and becoming grandparents.
“They never stopped being sweethearts, and forever sweethearts they remain,” he said.
De Simone also said his love for his two daughters was “greater than creation.”
“Creation wishes it was as wide as his love for Johanna and Dani,” he said. “They came into his life early, as these things go in these times, but who would have it any other way? Who wouldn’t want as many moments as possible with their beloved children?”
De Simone apologized for the timing of his death.
“Michael is, again, very sad to bring this news to you. It wasn’t much fun to receive,” he concluded.
De Simone was celebrated at a funeral Friday morning before being laid to rest at noon in Centralia, Wash.
Strangers who stumbled across De Simone’s obituary praised the family man’s sincere post and expressed sadness for not getting to know him while he was alive.
“Best obituary ever,” a Facebook user said.
“What about amazing obituary, I feel like I know him. What an incredible loss, God Bless his family,” one person wrote.
“Well, for not being amongst the living anymore, that was definitely the most lively obituary I believe I’ve ever read. R.I.P. Michael,” another said.
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