When Mike died from brain cancer, I knew I never wanted the way he died to become more important than the way he lived.

Cancer may be how his life here ended, but it was never what defined him.

Mike was funny, endlessly positive, ridiculously good at everything. His fun-loving spirit brought joy to all who knew him.

When I stood up to give his eulogy, I tried to put into words what a life like his meant. And somewhere in trying to explain who he was, three simple words became the best way to say it:

Be Like Mike.

Because if you knew Mike, you knew exactly what that meant.

Be kind. Be patient. Be generous. Have fun.

Live life fully.

Be Like Mike.

When I first said those words, I wasn’t thinking about a logo, a shirt, or a brand.

I was saying goodbye to my husband.

And I was trying to find a way for the best parts of him to keep going,
even when he couldn’t.

What started as three words spoken at his funeral became something
I never planned.

Be Like Mike became a way to keep his legacy moving forward.

A reminder to live a little more like he did.
To show up. To laugh. To live in the moment.
To take the trip, make the memory, have fun.

The shirts came later. The logo came later.

The meaning came first.

And that will always be the most important part of

Be Like Mike.

So wear the shirt. Drink a cold beer in the koozie.

Make someone laugh. Take a chance.

And don’t sweat the small stuff.

And whenever you can, Be Like Mike.