Michael T. Ahrens was born on May 24, 1968, the first of four children of Roger and Dayle (Ryder) Ahrens.
By graduating as salutatorian in 1986 from Hudson Falls, and winning a Naval ROTC scholarship, Mike was able to attend then graduate from The Massachusetts Institute Technology in 1990 with a material science engineering degree and an officer commission to serve his country in the Gulf War, specializing in cryptology – breaking the enemy code using mathematical formulas.
Upon his discharge from the Navy in 1994, he started his engineering career working in fiber optics for Alcatel, home based in North Carolina. Two years later he married his beloved Debbie and became a step father to Charlie, and with this new family as support, returned to academia from 2003-2005, earning his MS degree from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in electrical engineering. Michael was especially proud of his participation during these two years in a consortium studying the enhancement of color for light emitting diodes.
Reentering the workforce, Mike became from 2005-2010 the plant manager of engineering for Tredegar Film Products in Red Springs NC. Six months before his untimely death in December 2010, Mike was hired by the CEO of Stanley Tools who was impressed with not only Mike’s intellect, and drive, but more importantly his civility and integrity in dealing with employees from his past leadership roles, and wanted him to take over the reins as head of engineering in the Cheraw SC plant. Tragically, destiny had other plans.
Today, our 6’3” gentle giant, All Conference 1989 ECAC New England defensive tackle, faithful NY Met and Giant Fan, has overcome his mortality with the annual Big Mike Memorial Award given to both a deserving boy and girl scholar athlete from his beloved Hudson Falls Tiger teams who will represent in their futures, and thereby Mike’s, the “big hearted” spirit by which Mike led his brief but full life, giving of himself before others in the arenas of life.
We, who were blessed to have loved him as a brother, husband, father, and son, are warmed by this final accolade, given by a community he so loved and always considered Home.