Key West scrolled in shock on Dec. 30 by means of social media posts that appeared to recommend Michael Halpern had died. That couldn’t be true.
But it surely was. Halpern died the morning of Dec. 30 at age 72 throughout a battle with most cancers. The skepticism on social media succumbed to sorrow and shared reminiscences of the New York Metropolis native, who arrived in Key West in 1975 as a younger public defender.
The influential legal professional, behind-the-scenes energy dealer and affable proprietor at Southernmost Mansion and its Seaside Cafe, had simply began chemotherapy remedies for most cancers that was recognized solely just lately. Mates had simply spoken with him days earlier than.
“I’m in shock. I spoke with him a few week in the past and we had joked about doing an ‘outdated man’s journey’ by means of Italy,” Halpern’s longtime pal Michael Browning stated. It might have been paying homage to a visit they’d taken twice earlier than with their mixed six youngsters and Halpern’s spouse, Michelle, who misplaced her personal battle with most cancers in 2011. “Once I first heard he was sick, he made it sound like no large deal. After we spoke once more final week, he was in chemo so we solely spoke for a minute, however once more, he downplayed it utterly.”
Halpern’s sons – Rafe, Alexi, Luke and their adopted brother Terry – had misplaced their mom, Michelle, after her devastating, decade-long battle with most cancers in 2011. Following her analysis and through her battle, Halpern helped the boys launch their very own nonprofit, Youngsters Combating Most cancers, which nonetheless raises cash to assist native most cancers sufferers pay their payments whereas present process remedy. The group’s annual Willy Wonka Chocolate Pageant on the Southernmost Mansion has raised greater than $100,000.
Now, 13 years after dropping their mother, most cancers had claimed their father quicker than he might battle it.
And Michael Halpern wasn’t afraid of a battle. He was a formidable growth legal professional in Key West, the place his and his purchasers’ plans for Key West’s properties and financial system typically didn’t align with these of metropolis officers and residents.
He wasn’t at all times the most well-liked man within the room, and he was effective with that. He typically appeared to relish the strain that was palpable between him and metropolis commissioners. He would smile politely as he strode to the rostrum, his pale T-shirt and working shorts belying the depth of his information of metropolis legal guidelines and loopholes and his lawyering expertise. Halpern was dedicated to his highly effective purchasers, but additionally to the Key West group, and particularly the powerless residents in it.

Halpern helped in additional methods than anybody ever knew. And he received outcomes.
After a contentious battle with a number of metropolis officers, who made no effort to disguise their suspicions of his motives, Michael Halpern single-handedly turned the unpleasant uppermost block of Duval Avenue into an art-filled pocket park and later spent extra of his personal cash to alleviate the road’s frequent flooding.
He lived on Shark Key, however was a everlasting presence on the 1897 Southernmost Mansion, which he renovated and operated as a boutique lodge with 18 rooms. His pleasure within the property grew exponentially years later, when he and his son, Rafe, a culinary faculty graduate, opened the favored Seaside Cafe on the Mansion, which shortly rose within the rankings of Journey Advisor. Halpern was on the property every day, greeting company and detailing the storied historical past of the mansion that had hosted Thomas Edison, Al Capone, Tennessee Williams and 5 presidents. As just lately as November, Halpern celebrated the conclusion of a longtime purpose by opening Sky Bar, a rooftop bar atop the mansion.
Quiet benefactor
Loads of individuals in Key West would describe Halpern, considerably cynically, as a rich growth legal professional, hotelier, restaurateur and industrial landlord, and whereas the outline can be correct, additionally it is woefully incomplete, because it omits most of who Halpern was and what he did for the island he’d liked since his arrival in 1975.
“Michael was paying for 12 to fifteen youngsters’ faculty tuition when he died. Yearly, he paid off all of the unpaid lunch balances at Key West faculties. He gave $10,000 or so to make sure the highschool band would elevate sufficient cash for his or her journey to London. The listing by no means ends, however he at all times did all the things anonymously,” stated Nick Wright, headmaster at Somerset Island Prep, who launched the nonprofit Michelle’s Basis with Halpern in honor of the spouse Halpern had misplaced to most cancers in 2011. Its mission was to assist all youngsters obtain their highest potential, no matter their challenges, and its motto is, “By no means let your burdens outline you.”
Halpern eased numerous burdens for Key West youngsters and households.
“When Michael discovered {that a} librarian at Key West Excessive College was bringing in a dozen or so peanut butter and jelly sandwiches every afternoon for youths who would in any other case go dwelling to a home with no meals, he launched Meals for Thought beneath the umbrella of the muse to provide youngsters meals to take dwelling on the finish of the day,” Wright stated.
Michelle’s Basis consists of Keys Studying Heart, which supplies tutoring for youths, no matter their capability to pay. Michelle’s Students is the school tuition arm of the muse, which has funded greater than 50 faculty levels, with 12 to fifteen college students at the moment enrolled. The scholarships are awarded based mostly on demonstrated work ethic and want, moderately than grades and check scores.
“Michael at all times stated, ‘Michelle’s Basis is right here for many who can’t do all of it themselves,’” Wright recalled. “He mainly at all times gave me a clean verify to assist any child who wanted it. He paid for basketball sneakers, music classes, after-school tutoring, promenade attire, area journeys. It doesn’t matter what a child wanted, Michael’s reply was at all times sure.
“However he would kick my ass for saying all this about what he did for individuals,” Wright stated. “He by no means wished any credit score or publicity. He by no means despatched pictures to the newspapers when he gave somebody a verify or made a donation.”
Steve Torrence, a longtime pal of Halpern, echoed Wright’s sentiments: Halpern wished to assist, not make headlines.
“Michael wasn’t one to hunt the highlight, but his quiet help for quite a few organizations made an amazing affect on our group,” Torrence stated. “He had one request for all his contributions — hold his identify out of it. His legacy of generosity and tenacity will endure, however his absence leaves a void. Key West has misplaced an ideal man who liked this group with each fiber of his being.”
“Nobody liked the group of Key West greater than Michael,” stated Diane Schmidt, longtime pal and fellow lodge government. “He had pals in excessive locations, low locations and all over the place in between.”
Halpern’s absence now appears unimaginable as a result of his presence was so profound. His finest pal, George Fernandez, was nonetheless reeling from the information of the loss, and determining navigate a world with out Michael Halpern.
“For the previous 32 years, ‘The Honorable Michael Halpern,’ as I referred to as him, was not simply my legal professional. He was my finest pal and confidential sensible counsel in life,” Fernandez advised the Keys Weekly. “By means of the years, he taught me that in enterprise, as in our every day lives, diplomacy and compromise should at all times prevail. It’s my dedication to honor him by forging his legacy for a few years to come back. True in each respect, an individual can don’t have any higher epitaph than that which is inscribed within the hearts of his pals.”
These hearts are breaking this week as reminiscences are shared and memorial plans are made. However Halpern’s personal phrases have introduced consolation to many following his dying.
“‘By no means let your burdens outline you,’ was one of many final items of recommendation you gave me the opposite day whereas we had been sitting on one of the best porch on the island,” Kelly Norman wrote on Fb. “Your calls at all times began with ‘KEL!’ and ended with ‘love you.’ I believed you had been bigger than life. I believed you’d at all times be right here. I don’t know this island with out you, however I’ll maintain intently to the reminiscences of the previous 20 years. The whole island will do the identical since you gave a lot to so many.”