michael

June 1,1984- Feb.8, 2001

Our beautiful, wonderful, funny, smart kind,handsome sweet child,

KILLED by a DRUNK DRIVER.

His watch stopped at

4:45 Feb. 8th,2001.

as did our lives....

No two spirits are closer than one,

then that of a father and his son.

MICHAELS HERO-his dad Mark.

Best Friends..Brothers..

Michael and Adam

with Steve (Michaels step-dad)

My baby, my baby, a life just begun,

death will not break the bond

between mother and son.....

Should his heart break and the grief pour out, it would flow over the whole earth, it seems, and yet, no one sees it.

-----Anton Chekhov

With my eyes I see you,

With my mind I think of you,

With my heart I love you,

With my arms I reach for you,

With my feet I walk with you,

With my voice I talk with you,

With my silence I remember you,

With my laughter I rejoice with you,

With my tears I long for you,

With my entire heart, body and soul-

I shall never forget you.

From the Winchester Sun Newspaper 2/09/2001

By CATHY GILKEY Sun Staff Writer

A 16-year-old Winchester teen is dead and a Winchester man is charged with murder after a two-car collision on the Colby Road Thursday evening.

Michael S. Clifton, 803 Larry Court, was pronounced dead at the University of Kentucky Medical Center, Lexington, shortly after 8 p.m., said Clark County Sheriff Gary Lawson.

Mike S. Faulconer, 27, of 151 Wades Mill Road, was charged with murder, no insurance and driving on a suspended license this morning following Clifton's death, Lawson said.

According to Lawson, Clifton was driving his pickup truck westbound on the Colby Road, about a mile from the Bypass, when Faulconer, driving an SUV eastbound, apparently crossed the center line and struck Clifton's vehicle on the driver's side around 5 p.m. The impact spun the two vehicles around and nearly tore off the driver's side and roof of Clifton's vehicle, he said. Clifton was airlifted to the hospital from Clark Regional Medical Center.

Lawson said Faulconer's blood alcohol content tested higher than the legal limit following the crash and he was considered to be legally intoxicated. He was charged with first-degree assault with a vehicle but the charge was upgraded to murder after Clifton died, Lawson said.

Clifton was a sophomore at George Rogers Clark High School, Assistant Principal John Atkins confirmed. He said students were being informed of their classmate's death this morning.

The school psychologist and other professionals were at the high school this morning to meet with students, said GRCHS counselor Anne Hoffman.

It was the first traffic fatality of the year in Clark County.Faulconer is being held at the Clark County Detention Center.

He was my baby too...

Aunt Patty and Michael

To my Grandson Michael (my first grandchild...tooter)

I talked to you just today- And everything was good,

On your way to work a drunk driver took you away-

I know God was there to take your hand-

But I just dont understand.

I listen for your footsteps in the hall

or on the stairs,

I look in your room at night,

but you are no longer there.

I know you are an angel now, looking down on us.

I'll miss you more then you will know-

But in my heart you will forever grow.

Hope to see you soon.Love Granny

WE LOVE & MISS YOU MOM

RITA FORTNER(GRAN) 3/5/40-5/5/02

Left to Right- Jordan, Eric Sean, Michael, Brittany, Stephanie.

Michael was named after his Uncle Mike..

PAGE 2 (pictures/poems)

page 3 (friends)

page 6 (the wreck)

Michaels step-mom Susan

sent this poem for Michael.

Don�t grieve for me for now I�m free

I�m following the path God laid for me

I took his hand when I heard him call

I turned my back and left it all

I could not stay another day

To laugh, to love, to work, or play

Task left undone must stay that way,

I found that peace at the close of the day.

If my parting has left a void,

Then fill it with remembered joy.

A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss, and

yes those things I too, will miss.

Be not burdened with time of sorrow

I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow.

My life�s been full. I�ve savored so much,

Good friends, good times, a loved ones touch.

Perhaps my time seemed all too brief.

Lift your heart and share with me,

God wanted me now! He set me FREE

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Great-grandmother nanny and michael