SAYREVILLE – The Sayreville community mourns the loss of an alumnus of Sayreville War Memorial High School (SWMHS) who was one of the top 10 students of his graduating class.
Michael Marques, 19, died on Jan. 24 following a battle with cancer. His death was recognized by the Sayreville School District Board on Education on Feb. 4, where a moment of silence was held in his memory.
Marques graduated from SWMHS in 2017 and, according to the district, finished sixth in his class with a GPA of 4.43. According to his obituary, he attended the University of Michigan where he was pre-med, working toward a career with Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders), which assists individuals living in conflict zones and countries affected by endemic diseases.
In addition to pursuing a career in medicine, Marques was a track runner and the captain of the high school’s cross-country and track teams. Marques wrote in a statement to the Next College Student Athlete, which connects middle school and high school student athletes to college coaches, that he intended to run in track and field and cross-country while he studied to become a pharmacist, according to district members.
“I know that running takes time and commitment, but I’m willing to put all my energy into both studying and running 100 percent of the time,” he wrote. “There’s not one day I find myself without the drive to improve my times or complete a personal goal. It’s in my biggest dreams to run at a college-level competitively.”
At SWMHS, Marques was also a member of Students Against Destructive Decision, Future Business Leaders of America and the technology club MTECH.
“There are few people who were as giving and loving as Michael, a man always looking to help others as selflessly as possible,” the obituary reads. “He will be missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing him.”
Board President Kevin Ciak said that in honor of Marques, members of the Sayreville community walked a mile around the SWMHS track on Feb 2.
“[Marques] was a good-hearted individual,” Ciak said. “And you realize just what a wonderful person he was when members of the track team, members of this community and members of the high school faculty all came together at 5:30 in the evening. It was cold, it was dark, and we took one final mile around the SWMHS track under candlelight in memory of Mike, all that he stood for, and his legacy.
“We walked in silence, we walked in solidarity, and we walked in memory of Mike Marques,” Ciak said.