Petty Officer Michael J. Vecchio

We Honor and Remember:

Petty Officer 3rd Class Michael J. Vecchio
Hometown: Brick, New Jersey, U.S.
Age: 19 years old.
Birth: February 20, 1998.
Died: April 15, 2017.
Unit: U.S. Navy

Michael J. Vecchio AWO3, 19 from Brick, New Jersey, was active duty in the United States Navy as a Naval Aircrewman Operator, Airman.

Due to his exemplary accomplishments and achievements, the United States Navy posthumously advanced him to the rank of Petty Officer 3rd Class.
www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/app/name/michael-vecchio-obituary?id=8130580

Michael was taken from us after a tragic accident in Jacksonville, Florida near where he was stationed. He is survived by his parents, Michael and Carol, and his brother, Vincent. He is also survived by his maternal grandmother Nancy Severs and many aunts and uncles; Jim and Diane Vecchio, Donna and Michael Sever, Kevin and Lori Browne, Cheryl and Joseph Messina, Sharon and Darrel Gedde, Rick and Michele Vecchio, and John and Jackie Vecchio. He is also survived by many cousins, Andrew, Jake, David, Lisa, Laurie, Rene, Ryan, Eric, Heather, Kimberly, Jennifer, Kevin Jr., Patrick, Kellina, Charlie, Gabrielle, and Joseph. He will be dearly missed by his best friend and love Jess Solan. Michael was predeceased by his paternal grandparents Ana Marie and Vincent Vecchio and maternal grandfather Frederick Severs.

Michael grew up in Brick, New Jersey where he participated in nearly every extracurricular activity available for a kid growing up. He was well known and had a lot of friends to share the joys of childhood. He always wanted to try EVERYTHING and had a great love of life with all it had to offer. His talents went much further than team sports, and he was an avid show off who pushed the envelope many times to prove it. He loved many individual sports like snowboarding, surfing, golf, mountain biking, skating, and spear fishing, just to name a few! His abilities were diverse and he was talented enough to pull it all off. Michael always pushed himself to be the best that he could be due to his competitive spirit. He was strong willed and a force to be reckoned with if you challenged him. His aptitude was high, and his cunning character kept opponents on edge. If you had to go toe to toe with him for a battle of the wits, then you were in for a ride, and you were going to lose whether you knew it or not.

Many family and friends will remember his enormous personality, as he often somehow was able to get ALL the attention! Whether wearing different colored socks or just some outlandish trick to get your attention, he always stood out of a crowd. Maybe you were with him to hear one of his wisecracks, with great timing and wit to make his point. Anyway you put it, he could always amuse the masses with his special form of entertainment. His softer side was precious. If you were fortunate enough to hear the harmonic sounds of his ukulele it could transform you to a beautiful place. He had a caring, laid back character. You could catch him shoveling the snow of an elderly person's driveway for no gratuity or lending his soothing, charismatic words to help a friend in need. He always had a true heart and did the right thing where many others would have taken the easier path. You could always count on him for being by your side.

Michael was a well-rounded person. Loyalty could be seen as he had come to the rescue of others in need without hesitation. Defending the honor of a girl or jumping into a fight to help his comrades. You always knew that he had your back. Honor played a role into who he was. Following the footsteps of his traditional Navy family, he included himself in the ranks that only the few and proud could call themselves. The rest of us were considered "civs." He was proud to be "An Aircrewman" and was at the top of his rate, headed for greatness. He did it with the most honorable fashion to represent what we all love about this country. His most exclusive talent was his smoothness. He could say anything with the fluidness of the gentlest stream. We all felt comforted enough when he would convince you "It's ok."

Nineteen years is a very short time to live. Michael experienced more adventures than most people do in their lifetime. Pushing his fears aside he tackled all his goals with vigor and zest. He was a shooting star…. burning bright and running fast! Please learn from Michael. LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST, DON'T SECOND GUESS YOUR INSTINCTS AND PURSUE ALL YOUR DREAMS TO MAKE THEM REALITY! You will not regret it!

Burial:
Brigadier General William C. Doyle Memorial Cemetery,
Wrightstown, NJ.

Naval Aircrewman Operator Third Class, AWO3, Michael Joseph Vecchio enlisted at the young age of 17. Unfortunately, his career was cut short when he was killed in a Florida highway accident in 2017. Michael was like a shooting star in the night sky: only here for a short time, burning fast and bright!

Michael was born on February 20, 1998 in Brick, NJ. He was a bundle of energy ready to take on the world. Eager to please, he would often be the one getting all the attention as he bid for it with his showman-like skills and antics.
From early on, Michael envisioned himself as all the heroes that he watched and admired as a child. He had a vivid imagination and the confidence to right any wrong or just make something or someone better. He was pure of heart and always there for the underdog. Many stories have been told from others who expressed over and over again about his kindness to others. He lived that way his entire life.

Michael was naturally smart with a higher than average aptitude. He also had a good intuition to see others as they were. That made him good at understanding people. He was good at dealing with others and sized them up. Altogether, Michael was very clever and competitive. Quite the match for anybody’s wit or physical challenge bestowed upon him. Always looking for a chance to prove and improve himself with utmost confidence. Even when things were looking bad, Michael had a positive attitude with an optimistic outlook.

Michael was always striving for new experiences. He was bored with school and wanted to carve his own destiny. That ultimately led to him enlisting in the US Navy at the age of 16. One year later, at the age of 17, he was accepted. He identified with words like “honor” and “valor” and always felt the military was where he could best find purpose. There he would fine-tune what he was going to do with the rest of his life. Michael was ready for adventure and to see the world, following in the footsteps of his grandfather who also served in the Navy.

Michael was part of the first group of sailors being trained on the new Boeing 737, P-8 Sub Hunter Patrol. It was replacing the outdated turboprop P-3 aircraft. As an aircrewman in training on base, he was the youngest and least experienced but at the top of his class and trying to keep an edge. He worked hard to be the best version of himself and was headed toward becoming a future leader or maverick. The world will surely suffer more without him to continue his pursuits.
Fair winds and following seas for our fallen sailor, AWO3 Michael J. Vecchio.

Character Strength Story:
Bravery - Michael was fearless from an early age. When he was 10 years old he went to Hawaii to visit his uncle. They visited the southernmost tip of the island where there were cliffs that people jumped off of and into the ocean. While his father and uncle were standing at the edge trying to muster up the courage to jump, Michael came running up and off the cliff’s edge between them yelling out with his arms and legs still in motion like a stunt-man for a movie. The dumbfounded adults then sheepishly leaped in after the brave child
—Submitted by Michael, Surviving Father

New Jersey Run for the Fallen 2022 ~ Click on photos below to enlarge...

Brigadier General William C. Doyle Memorial Cemetery, Wrightstown, NJ.