State Representative Mike Simpson passed away Friday night (December 18th).  Simpson, 47, died of a heart attack while returning home from the Cleveland Clinic, where he was receiving treatment for a rare blood disorder called light-chain deposition. He was in his second term representing the residents of Jackson County.

House Speaker Andy Dillon (D-Redford Twp.) praised Simpson’s dedication and sincerity.

“Mike was one of the most passionate and creative legislators I’ve had the honor of working with,” Dillon said. “If you wanted someone to be a bulldog on an issue, he was your guy. There’s only a few people like that. You couldn’t meet Mike and not fall in love with him, even if you didn’t agree with him. He was sincere and down-to-earth, whether on the House floor or on a voter’s porch.”

Dillon said Simpson earned widespread respect for fighting against insurance companies’ refusal to make good on their promises. After Simpson’s daughter, Gina, died of bone cancer, he was forced to file for bankruptcy because the family’s insurance company refused to pay her medical bills.

“Even through his own tremendous pain and loss, Mike was willing to tell his story and fight for change so that other families wouldn’t have to go through the same ordeal,” Dillon said. “That stubborn determination to make things right is what made Mike special and what makes his death an enormous loss for Jackson County and our entire state. My thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Debbie, and Mike’s whole family.”

State Representative Martin Griffin, who represented Jackson County along with Simpson, said all of Jackson County will sorely miss him.

“What I loved about Mike is that he would tell you what sounded like the most hare-brained idea to fix a problem, but when it came full circle it made perfect sense and was exactly what was needed,” Griffin said. “He was never afraid to just grab hold of an issue, dive in head first and not come up for air until he finished the job. He never let anything get in the way of his work and his passion to serve the people of the 65th District. My sincere condolences go out to his family.”

A memorial service is planned to honor the life of State Representative Mike Simpson on Tuesday (December 22nd) at 11 a.m. in the East Jackson High School Auditorium, 1566 N. Sutton Road in Jackson.

A video of Simpson talking about his fight to hold insurance companies accountable can be seen at www.housedems.com/wrongful-denial/.

Source:  News release from Michigan House Democrats