Michael James Sapp of Fashion Valley passed away March 3 at the much-too-young age of 48, after a brief but valiant battle with Burkitt’s Lymphoma. Michael died in Sharp Memorial Hospital surrounded by the love and support of his friends and many of the ICU hospital staff who had come to admire his perseverance and good nature. He passed while in the arms of his partner of almost 20 years, George Biagi, who was the editor of the Gay & Lesbian Times from 1991 to 1994, and is currently the Deputy Director of Legislative Services in the San Diego Office of the City Clerk.

Michael moved to San Diego after visiting the city during the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Shortly after relocating here, he started working with Vorwerk USA and became assistant manager with the company in 1987.

On June 18, 1989, Michael met George at Blacks Beach in La Jolla, and they began what would be the defining relationship in each of their lives.

Over the next 19.5 years, Michael and George would travel extensively, visiting 19 countries, with their favorite international destinations being Barcelona, Rio de Janeiro and Iguacu Falls on the border of Argentina and Brazil. They also loved to visit New York City each December before heading to the Jersey Shore to spend Christmas with George’s family. The love and devotion between Michael and George was obvious to all those who knew them.

During the 1990s, Mike worked as the director of National Enrollment Services for Mutual of New York and as the vice president of administration for National Benefit Communications. In 2001, Mike switched gears and became a personal trainer and nutrition counselor working primarily at World Gym in Pacific Beach.

In 2007, Mike enrolled at Mesa College full time to pursue a degree in psychology. He carried a 4.0 grade-point average and was inducted into Phi Theta Kappa, the national two-year-college honor society. At The San Diego LGBT Community Center Gala last fall, Mike was the recipient of a Nicole M. Ramirez Student Scholarship. He had planned to continue his studies at San Diego State University, and had hoped to one day be a psychologist or licensed therapist to help individuals in the GLBT recovery community.

Mike was a graduate of the day program at Stepping Stone’s Outpatient Services in Hillcrest and was an active member of the recovery community. He was proudly clean and sober for more than three years at the time of his passing, and he regularly attended the Morning Grind and Sunday night CMA meetings. Through his recovery Mike reached some of the greatest goals of his life: He learned to love himself and to see the world from a decidedly more universal perspective. He constantly worked the steps of his recovery and practiced the credo of living for the moment. At the time of his passing, Mike had truly reached his stride and was loving life. He was in his element both at college and helping people in recovery.

Mike loved to ride his bike along the boardwalk in Pacific Beach and jog on the beach and along the trails at Torrey Pines State Park. He also enjoyed taking George and his friends sailing on Mission Bay. Mike competed in all-natural body building competitions, including the Gay Games in New York City in 1994 and Sydney, Australia, in 2002.

Mike was born on Oct. 29, 1960, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He lived briefly in Kentucky and Texas, and in 1969 moved to Camus, Wash., where he spent the remainder of his childhood.

At Camus High School, Michael ran track and played football, sang in the choir, swing group and school musicals, was a member of the National Honor Society and Student Council, and served as senior-class president for the Class of ’79. His teenage hobbies included fishing, swimming and tubing down the Washugal River; maintaining salt- and fresh-water aquariums and hanging out with his German Shepherd “Prince,” who he actually trained to walk up the ladder and slide down the slide at the playground across from his house. Mike moved to Portland, Ore., in 1979, and lived there for five years, working as a manager for Safeway.

In addition to his partner George Biagi and numerous friends, Michael is survived by: his father and stepmother, Vernon and Lillian Sapp of Camas, Wash.; his brother Vernon Thomas Sapp III of Washougal, Wash.; his sisters Sue Ann Intrieri of Lewisberry, Pa.; Diane Marie Reude of Washougal, Wash.; and Elizabeth Ann Moszeter of Goldendale, Wash.; as well as by his mother-in-law Sandra Biagi, brother and sister-in-law Doug and Jen Biagi; beloved nieces Nicole and Jordan Biagi, and nephew Dougie Biagi; all of Ventnor, NJ; and his father-in-law George Biagi Jr. of Egg Harbor Township, NJ; along with numerous nephews and nieces on the Sapp side of the family. He is preceded in death by his mother, Irma Sapp, and two brothers, Timothy George Sapp and Dennis Patrick Sapp.

A celebration of Michael’s life will be held this Saturday, March 14, at 11 a.m. at Kate Sessions Park, 5115 Soledad Road, in Pacific Beach. A reception will be held immediately following the celebration across the street from the park at 4950 Lamont Street – a private residence where Michael and George first lived together.

Michael’s ashes will be scattered around the world in places of special significance to him and his partner, including at the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio, Iguacu Falls, Central Park, Montjuic in Barcelona, the Washugal River in Washington, and Blacks Beach, as well as buried in the Biagi family plot outside of Atlantic City, New Jersey.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Michael’s memory to the Outpatient Treatment Center of Stepping Stone, 3969 Fourth Ave., San Diego, Calif., 92103.

A devoted partner and a kind, gentle, intelligent and compassionate man with a great sense of humor, Michael will be missed by those whose lives were touched by this truly special human being.