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Community Corner

BJ Ryan's Remembers Mike Doris a/k/a "Big Mike"


On March 2, 2011 the City of Norwalk lost a great man, many people didn’t know Mike Doris but hundreds knew “Big Mike”, the 6’5” man who resembled Santa Claus and could always be spotted by his Big Dog T-shirt or his evergreen Chevy Avalanche.  Mike was a local business owner who served people from New York to Rhode Island with his carpet, rug cleaning, water, sewer and mold remediation business.  No advertising, just word of mouth.  I met Mike almost 10 years ago on a job site where he was hired to clean-up sewage in a basement of a property I was managing in Norwalk.  The President of the Association said, “you are going to meet Big Mike on site”, I said – how will I know who he is?  His reply – “trust me, you will know”.  That day will become a day I will treasure for years, that was the day I met someone who came to be one of my best friends. Mike was an amazing man, husband and father.  He was always laughing and joking and his eyes lit up when he spoke of his wife Joanne and his two boys Jameson and Ty, they truly were the light of his life.

Tomorrow, BJ Ryan’s owners Buckley Ryan & BJ Lawless  both of whom were great friends of Mike’s is hosting a fundraiser in the upstairs bar area and donating ALL OF ITS REVENUE INCLUDING TIPS to Mike’s wife Joanne and the boys. 

Both myself another friend of Mike’s Josh Eudowe and countless other friends have blasted e-mails, posted on Facebook and handed out flyers to invite any who knew Mike and those who didn’t to come to BJ Ryan’s tomorrow from Noon – Close and have a drink, lunch or dinner and celebrate his life with his family and friends.  I can guarantee the day will be filled with lots of tears, hugs, drinks and sharing great memories.


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