Michael Palisano

MICHAEL PALISANO MEMORIAL OBITUARY

Hi, everyone. Early Wednesday morning, my twin brother, Michael Palisano, lost his long fight against diabetes, which caused a host of other medical issues, such as end stage renal failure. He follows my mother Ann Palisano who we lost six months ago in March. 

One of my favorite memories of Michael was when my parents brought us to a Star Trek convention in New York City when we were children. We were so excited that none other than Superman, Christopher Reeve, would be there. We’d just seen the movie and were very excited. When it was time for questions, Michael was picked to come up on stage and ask him one. He had a big one. “Can you take me on a flight like you did with Lois in the movie?” Christopher looked shocked, but recovered. “I can’t because there’s too many obstructions in this room to take off.” Michael was incensed. “I think it’s because you don’t have the wires on you like I saw on TV!” He stormed off the stage, leaving a stunned Superman wondering what the heck just happened, but laughing the entire time. That was my brother in a nutshell. He had a dry wit that slayed, but he was quiet most of the time, which earned him the nickname “Mouse.” 

He loved classic video games such as the Atari and Colecovision and acquired quite a museum’s worth of the stuff for most of his life. For a time, he wrote video game reviews and then transitioned into his own fanzine and website called, “The Laser” where he included his artwork and short stories. His later years have been rough, saddled with multiple ailments he couldn’t get ahead of. As kids, we travelled up and down the east coast, visiting hospitals, trying to diagnose him. Finally, at Boston’s Children’s Hospital, they told us he had Tourette’s Syndrome. This was the first we’d heard of it, and long before it became the butt of jokes in comedies and reality television shows. His was motor Tourette’s, and not the often lampooned vocal variant. In addition, he developed other medical issues over time that became worse. Despite so many doctors and interventions, it all caught up. Of course, losing my twin is heartbreaking and profound on so many levels I can’t begin to explain, and haven’t started to process. I prefer for him to be remembered as the creative artist he was and for the person he strived to be, despite his setbacks.

Recently, I found his last notebook of writings. A yellow spiral notebook, filled to the brim with small handwriting, written before his eyesight degraded too far to continue. I haven’t yet had the heart to read it, but one day I will. If you knew him, please leave your memory of him. Thank you so much for reading.

To go along with Michael's wishes, there will be no services. 

The Michael R. Gray Funeral Home in Owingsville is caring for all the arrangements for Michael Palisano.