I feel that Michael was always going to be there. Even if I attended a conference or a meeting only once in a while, he was really there, his presence was powerful. He represented what attracted me and got me excited about SGML when I got involved in the early 1990s, this mixture of very innovative thinking based on a thorough scholarly practice. He symbolized the rich intellectual value of the concepts that have allowed us, as a society, to transition from print to digital. It is not just tools, it's a philosophical vision of the world that go beyond the tools and techniques that have been invented. Michael was a master in taking into account the nuances, subtleties and intricacies involved. His openness and unlimited curiosity, his appetite to learn something that he didn't know, his kindness, made me feel safe, especially when I was meandering in uncertain territories. I will miss him enormously, and am grateful for what he brought us.