Remembering and Honoring Mike Sardo '93

Mike Sardo and his boys

After fighting a rare and terrible disease for more than 20 years, Mike Sardo '93 has passed away.

I've written many times about Mike, who was someone I bumped into on campus as a student frequently over the years, both here and on the old incarnation of this blog. He was an improbable All Ivy wide receiver, considering how light he was and the fact that he came out of a program like Bethpage HS on Long Island, never a football powerhouse. 

Sardo's teammates, like the great Des Werthman '93, often gave him shout outs for his play and determination whenever they talked about their years with the Lions. And Sardo and his struggle were featured in a piece on Columbia College Today. 

There is an effort underway to get one of the postseason awards named after Sardo. I hope to have more information on that in the weeks to come. 

In the meantime, please consider donating to the GoFundMe account for Mike's family. His medical bills over the years have been enormous and support is needed. 

My good friend Greg Abbruzzese also sent this message about Mike, and I wanted to share it as well:

It is with a heavy heart that I share with you the passing of a true Lion, Mike Sardo, CC '93. On July 2nd, Mike Sardo lost his courageous battle with acute lymphocytic leukemia. Mike was a gentle giant on and off the field as he earned First Team All-Ivy in 1991 and 1992. He fought hard for so long because he knew he had so much to fight for - his beloved and dedicated wife, Kathleen (CC '93-All-Ivy basketball player), and their two sons; Darrion and Sedric. Mike loved Columbia and especially the brotherhood of Columbia football. Mike worked hard for over twenty years at the FBI to provide for his family. He was proud of his family and grateful for life’s simple moments. The type of medical care that Mike required cost a great deal, particularly these last two years. Unfortunately, insurance did not cover the level of medical care that Mike actually needed. I realize that we all have many things going on in our lives, however, if you can, please consider contributing to Mike's GO FUND ME PAGE. https://www.gofundme.com/f/in-memory-of-mike-sardo. If you cannot, please include Mike and his family in your prayers. If any funds remain after the medical expenses, they will be set aside for Darrion and Sedric's education.

 

Let's show loud the CU family roars when someone needs us!!!