Michael's Photo Page

In Loving Memory of
Michael Thomas Strenko
June 14, 1981 - May 15, 2003

"Calling All Angels"
By Train

I need a sign to let me know you're here
All of these lines are being crossed over the atmosphere
I need to know that things are gonna look up
'Cause I feel us drowning in a sea spilled from a cup

When there is no place safe and no safe place to put my head
When you feel the world shake from the words that are said

And I'm calling all angels
I'm calling all you angels

I won't give up if you dont give up
I won't give up if you dont give up
I won't give up if you dont give up
I won't give up if you dont give up

I need a sign to let me know you're here
'Cause my TV set just keeps it all from being clear
I want a reason for the way things have to be
I need a hand to help build up some kind of hope inside of me

And I'm calling all angels
I'm calling all you angels

When children have to play inside so they don't disappear
And private eyes solve marriage lies cause we don't talk for years
And futbol teams are kissing Queens
and losing sight of having dreams
In a world that what we want is only what we want until it's ours

And I'm calling all angels
I'm calling all you angels

And I'm calling all angels
I'm calling all you angels

Calling all you angels
Calling all you angels
Calling all you angels

Death of Michael Thomas Strenko

Our son Michael Thomas Strenko 21, entered eternal rest on Thursday May 15, 2003 at Somerset Medical Center in Somerville, New Jersey. A registered nurse Charles Cullen, by lethal injection of norepinephrine, murdered him. Charles Cullen had also made an attempt to murder Michael the night before, but failed. Charles Cullen was not Michael’s nurse. Charles Cullen walked into the waiting room and he looked us all right in the eye and said how Michael was gravely ill and people don't make it. He was went on to say what kind of drugs they were using and went into great details. We told Charles Cullen that’s enough, you can leave now.

Michael died at 2:00 AM. Sadly, this was Michael’s best day on Wednesday up to when Charles Cullen came into work at 7:00 PM. Michael had Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia, a blood disorder, and was recovering from a spleen removal operation. On this particular day, Michael’s vitals were very good. His nurse gave us a thumbs up. There was family with Michael around the clock and we thought that the evening was going to be an easy night. It turned out to be the worse day of our lives.

Charles Cullen confessed to killing him and 13 other patients currently. We always felt he should not have died, that there was something wrong and now we all know why he died. The killer nurse admitted in court on April 29, 2003 of slaying Michael with a lethal overdose of a heart drug and appeared in court to plead guilty. He remains under investigation for other deaths in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and has claimed to kill as many as 40 patients over the course of his 16-year nursing career. He has agreed to cooperate with investigators in exchange for being spared the death penalty. Charles Cullen will spend a minimum of 127 years in prison while our family will never be the same again and Michael will never come home to us. As his life was taken, our hearts remain so heavy with so much pain and sorrow for every second of each day that has past. We carry such deep emptiness within us. We have lost our joy. We have lost so much! Michael is so deeply missed!

Michael’s Prayer Card

In God’s Care ~
God saw you were in need to be rescued,
so he put his arms around you,
and whispered, come with me.
With tearful eyes we watched you suffer,
and saw you fade away.
Although we loved you deeply,
we could not make you stay.
A golden heart stopped beating,
hard-working hands to rest.
God broke our hearts to prove to us,
He only takes the best.

~ For Michael’s 6th Month Anniversary ~

A Million Times...
You never said I'm leaving.
You never said good-bye.
You were gone before we knew it,
and only God knew why.
A million times we’ve needed you,
A million times we've cried.
If love alone could've saved you,
you never would have died.
In life we loved you dearly,
In death we love you still.
In our hearts you hold a place,
No one else will ever fill.
It broke our hearts to lose you,
But you didn't go alone.
Part of us went with you,
the day God rescued you,
and took you home.

Please also visit this very important page Strenko's Victim Impact Statements
Michael Thomas Strenko was murdered by serial killer nurse Charles Cullen by lethal injection at Somerset Medical Center, Somerville, NJ on May 15, 2003. Charles Cullen's sentencing was on March 2, 2006, where he did not look at the victim's families while they spoke, but kept his head down and his eyes shut.

A friend can hear a tear drop.

Please visit Maria's Tribute to Christopher
Angel Christopher
Two Very Special Angels