Michael `Moki` Furniss 7th April 1976 - 18th Decemeber 2005

`Moki` was his nickname, Mike he was known as. He was small, wiry and had an enormous personality to match up with his small height and was drop dead gorgeous looking. He was only 29 years old when he died last Sunday.
He lived a fairytale life. He was a brief ex who became my closest, greatest, most trusted and most loyal friend. He was my soulmate really. We got on on so many levels and shared so many things in common, hell; he was even born the day before me! We would go out on the town sometimes or just curl up and laugh together in his teeny room (which somehow matched his teeny height), whatever we did together it was always fun with him. He was a lovely, lovely, caring; sharing person who lit the room up when he walked into it. EVERYONE loved him when they met him, he just made you laugh and smile with his dazzling personality and his total love for life and those around him.
A little Peter Pan by way of Captain Jack Sparrow, some thought him a bit clownish. Not one bit, because here was a talented artist and graphic designer/Illustrator. I have been given a couple of pieces of art work. Like him it is colourful, beautiful and full of talent. He was a very clever boy.
I miss him like hell, we were so very close. I loved his honesty and his straightforward manner. If you were feeling low he would make sure you were smiling and felt cared for before he left you. He was relentless in the pursuit of other peoples happiness, he made it his job to help others out.
In his short life he packed alot in and has left a legacy of love and compassion for others. No mean feat and no mean man. This guy was genorosity personified.

One of the last times we went out we joined his Dad in central London (he came down on the train once a month to visit from Derby, where Mike was from). It was a really nice day, and when I got in that night I text messaged Mike to say so.
This was his reply:

`It was lovely. I hope you understand what I was saying about people we care about. I am about to curl up in bed and it`s freezing cold, but I am really, really warm. And sad and happy. I am, like I said, the luckiest boy alive because of all the people I have around me. You are one of them. :) `

He loved London. As we walked over the Thames on Hungerford Bridge that night towards Waterloo station, he sang a Rolling Stones song (he was crazy `bout them) called `Mixed Emotions`. It was a very cold night. He held my hand and told me I was his best friend and that he loved me and we hugged. We leant on the side of the bridge and watched the lights of London twinkling around the river bend and he said `Look, this is London. I am the luckiest boy alive`.
Mike, it was a privilige and an honour to be known as your best friend. I loved you too, very much.

S xx