Michael Tyler Tornillo, age 26 years, of Raritan Township, NJ, died on Sunday, August 9, 2020.

Born on December 19, 1993 at St. Peter’s Hospital, New Brunswick, NJ, son of Mark Alan and Cheryl Polakowski Tornillo, Mike was raised in Readington Township and purchased his first home in Raritan Township one year ago.

A 2012 graduate of Hunterdon Central Regional High School, Flemington, NJ, Mike was currently a Journeyman Wireman for IBEW Local 102. He had been working for Lemco Corporation, Wayne, NJ, for most of his career. An extremely hard worker, Mike was known for always wanting to learn more of his trade, as well as always being there for his colleagues. No job was too big or small for Mike, and he put his heart into all that he did.

Growing up with his father (also a member of Local 102) being a literal ‘Rock Star’ as the lead singer of the rock band Accept and a former member of the band T.T. Quick, Mike inherited the music gene from both sides of his family. Learning to play the violin and guitar at a young age, Mike worked hard and played the violin in the school band, earning second chair his senior year.

He had an uncanny ability to hear music and immediately play it, without any sheet music. Like his father, Mike felt the notes and the lyrics in the deepest recesses of his soul and that allowed him the ability to put forth his own music in a way that touched anyone who heard him play or sing. There is a difference when one feels the music like Mike always did, and it allowed him to put forth songs that touched hearts.

With Mark traveling on tour, one of the benefits to the family was that Mike got to experience the world. From Europe to the Caribbean, Mike traveled with his family, surely having an awesome time at concerts, but also learning about different cultures and earning a wonderful appreciation for all the beautiful people in the world who make up this mosaic that is life. Mike has friends throughout the world. This time also allowed the family to grow together and appreciate each other on many different levels.

While Mike looked up to his father, both Mark and Mike’s mom, Cheri, looked up to their son. They were proud of their bright blue-eyed baby boy who grew up to be a hard worker with a heart that truly cared for others. He was thoughtful and generous, and though he could be strong-willed, he would  “sometimes” listen to reason. And ever the softy, he would always end a text message with his Mom or Dad by saying “I love you.”

With a personality that could light up a room, Mike had many friends. He also had many hobbies, some of which not many of his New Jersey friends could understand, like his love of the New England Patriots. Playing football for Hunterdon Central, everyone could not understand why he would choose a team so obviously inferior to the local teams, but Mike pressed forward. He also loved tattoos, and his body was an artistic canvas which he enjoyed showing off.

Music was certainly a life’s passion, but it was not just hard rock that captivated him; he loved everything from EDM to classical. A foodie, he would eat anything in sight and loved to try new things; however, he was also a fitness freak so he would make sure that he would work off whatever he ingested. As a Mixed Martial Arts fighter for an extended time, the MMA training stuck with Mike and helped ground him on so many levels.

Mike would also want to be remembered for being a stickler for what he wore.  As early as preschool, he never liked anything his parents picked out for him. He had an original personal style, including his love for shorts and long socks, not to forget tank tops to emphasize his muscles and tattoos. There was never a mirror that didn’t love him.

Though his life ended suddenly, Mike’s legacy is cemented in the hearts of all who met him and were touched by his love. He will forever be a guardian angel to so many and would want everyone to take heart in the words of the lyrics to ‘Your Guardian Angel’ by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, which remind us all that Mike is forever with us: “I will never let you fall, I’ll stand up with you forever, I’ll be there through it all…”.

He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Lillian Marcinko and John Polakowski; his paternal grandmother, Doris Tornillo; and his uncle, Thomas David Tornillo.

Surviving, in addition to his beloved parents, are his paternal grandfather, Michael C. Tornillo; his sister and her partner, Nicole Lynette Kish and Matt Sepesi; his newborn nephew, Nate Marcus Sepesi; his fiancé, Kayla Sue Burry and her son whom Mike adored, Gage Higgins-Burry; his aunts and uncles, Eileen Jimenez, Cathy and Steven O’Neil, Stephen Polakowski and Jennifer Pepin, and Michael and Tammy Polakowski; his cousins, Brianna, Jesse, Logan, Ryan, Clara, Josh, and Eli; his dogs who loved their dad, Klaus, Zeus, and Sierra; and an extensive circle of friends and extended family.

The family would like to thank everyone for the tremendous outpouring of love and support. It is also their wish that no one feels obligated to attend services if they have any fears of doing so given the current pandemic. They understand and respect your personal decision. Due to the anticipated large number of persons attending, visitation at the funeral home will be held according to the following schedule:

~Sunday, August 16, 2020 from 1:00-2:00 p.m. for those age fifty-five and older, along with those who are immunocompromised

~Sunday, August 16, 2020 from 2:00-5:00 p.m. for the general public

*Please note: there is a limitation to the number of people inside the funeral home at any one time so please follow all instructions of the Wright & Ford Care Team Family Ambassadors upon arrival. Social distancing must be maintained and masks must be worn at all times while on funeral home property. There will be continual cleaning and sanitizing of the funeral home as the day proceeds to ensure the safety of all guests.

Funeral services will be closed to the public on Monday, August 17, 2020. For those who wish to be with the family virtually, Mike’s life celebration service will be streamed live beginning at 1:00 p.m. on Monday. Please click HERE to watch the service live (note: the link will be active at 12:30 p.m. on Monday to ensure that your technology is working; at the very bottom of this page will be the full zoom invite if the link above is not working on your machine; please make sure you do not have a pop-up blocker enabled).

Complete arrangements are under the care and direction of Wright & Ford Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 38 State Highway 31, Flemington, NJ 08822.

Please visit Michael’s permanent memorial site at www.wrightfamily.com to light a memorial candle, leave messages of condolence, share words of comfort and recollection, and post photographs of his life.

The family understands and appreciates that everyone would like to do something to honor Mike. Please, NO flowers. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to a scholarship fund for his newborn nephew, Nate. Please click HERE to be taken to his personal and secure donation page. For those who wish to mail in a contribution, please do so by making a check payable to ‘In Memory Of’, noting ‘Mike Tornillo’ in the memo, and mailing to: In Memory Of, P.O. Box 5472, Charlottesville, VA 22905.

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Wright & Ford, your local, family owned & operated “Life Celebration Home”

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Zoom Life Celebration Service *service will start promptly at 1:00 p.m.

Topic: Mike Tornillo Life Celebration
Time: Aug 17, 2020 12:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

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