Michael Brian Douthitt was born in Akron‚ Ohio‚ to Clinton and Maxine (Weiss) Douthitt on July 21‚ 1958. He grew up in Pompano Beach‚ Florida and graduated from Coconut Creek High School. From there‚ he served his country honorably as a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne out of Ft. Bragg‚ North Carolina. He became an EMT while in the military‚ and that began his love of emergency medicine.

After leaving the Army he became a paramedic and was hired by Broward EMS on February 6‚ 1984. After nearly ten years‚ Broward County EMS merged with Broward County Fire Rescue‚ and Mike was in the first group of 12 paramedics to become a certified firefighter. Mike was 48 years old when he died on July 13‚ 2007‚ of complications from a heart attack that he suffered while fighting a structure fire in the early morning hours of July 2nd. At the time of his death‚ he was a driver/engineer assigned to Squirt 17 and had worked 23 years and 4 months on the job. He was 18 months away from retirement.

Throughout Mike’s life‚ he had a love of sports that was unequaled. His first baseball love was the Cleveland Indians‚ until the Marlins came to town. Mike believed in supporting the home teams‚ and support them he did! His love of his precious Dolphins‚ Hurricanes‚ Marlins‚ Panthers‚ and Heat was unrequited. He had season tickets to the Miami Dolphins since 1982 and NEVER missed a home game. He even arranged to be off work on away games so he could watch the game on TV and not have to worry about getting a call and missing part of the game. He also had a Hurricanes season ticket and a Marlins season ticket. He traveled to at least one Dolphins and Canes game a year and often times to an away Marlins game as well. His house is a living tribute to these teams with pictures‚ rugs‚ statues‚ wall hangings‚ etc.

Mike had one daughter‚ Heather Michelle‚ from a previous marriage. In 1987‚ he married Ruth (Hambel)‚ and they have two children. Their daughter‚ Shelby Lynn‚ was born in 1991‚ and their son‚ Andrew Michael‚ was born in 1993. Mike was a devoted father who loved his children more than life itself. Mike and Ruth had just celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary on March 28‚ four months prior to his passing. Mike also left behind some four-legged ‘kids.’ Mike’s big heart extended to homeless animals as well‚ and Rexen‚ Bailey‚ Nellie‚ and Willy Wonka also felt the loss of their ‘Daddy.’

Mike was a true friend to everyone‚ and he will never be forgotten.