Michael Steven Pohle, Jr.

Michael Pohle Jr., born in Newark, N.J., on Oct. 15, 1983, was always curious about everything around him and was constantly venturing out to learn new things.

Although Mike was ridiculed by others during his early school years due to speech development issues, he overcame that painful experience and used it to help shape himself into the wonderful and caring person he became.

As Mike grew, he became involved in various activities. These ranged from learning to play music to earning his black belt in karate and participating in team sports. Mike played soccer, lacrosse, and football starting in grammar school and continued with football and lacrosse at Hunterdon Central Regional High School in Flemington, N.J. He played midfield on the Virginia Tech men’s club team for two years. In his honor, the team wore Michael’s initials on their helmets when they played in the SouthEastern Lacrosse Conference tournament.

Mike loved being part of a team, and there was nothing he would not do for his teammates or his friends. He also never lost his love for learning, either in the classroom or in life. He was set to graduate with a B.S. in biology this May.

Mike is remembered by everyone who knew him for always helping people. Based on his own experiences and even with his athletic success, Mike befriended those who felt they did not fit in or who were lost in the crowd with no one to turn to. It was instinctive for Mike to help; it was his calling.

That inner desire to learn as much as he could, be part of a team, and help as many people as he possibly could are some of key reasons he chose Virginia Tech. Whether it was his family, friends, classmates, teammates, the Phillies, the Buccaneers, or his beloved Hokies, Mike was always looking out for them, as he still is to this day.

That is how he would want to be remembered.