Carolyn's Tribute To Michael

A Tribute To Michael Zaslow by Carolyn V. Wojcik

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Memories of GL's Roger & Holly,
Michael Zaslow and Maureen Garrett: The Way They Were.

My name is Carolyn, and I have a neurological disability. My diagnosis is Cerebral Palsy. When I was growing up, the doctors indicated that I would die young. Well, I am 50! Much of the time, other people ignore someone with a speech difficulty as if the person is invisible. People do not want to hear you, feel you or touch you! It is difficult to see a person with a disability, because you realize it could happen to you at any time! Despite what other people, the doctors, and the State of Massachusetts (which indicated I was mentally retarded) said, I have accomplished many things in my life. I have a degree in Medical Sociology from Boston University. I did not sit back and feel sorry for myself!

With my diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy, I never knew how to walk, and I do have a speech defect. So, I never experienced two lifestyles. Michael Zaslow did however. I do not know which is worse. Knowing the power of body motion, and then, not having it. Or, like me, never knowing the power of body motion like a lion gracefully running.

Either way, you can live your life positively, or you can live your life negatively. I never gave up when 'people' said to me that I could never do anything or contribute to society. However, I do know that I have accomplished something in my life. Michael accomplished so many things in his life. He touched people through his acting and his disability.

When I first saw Michael Zaslow on Guiding Light, Roger was just being introduced as a character. He had a 'presence' on screen that had a powerfully deep emotional impact on me! At that time in my life, I was struggling with my own feelings and emotions. Roger was a dangerous bad boy according to his father. He was ambitious to please his father in the business world! He was pleasing to the young women. He was an attractive and magnetic bad boy!

Yet, I saw in Michael's face, a vulnerable, sweet, tender and polite person. I study faces, and yes, you can go into a character like Roger and integrate your personality into the character's personality. Something else was there! It was a person who was trusting and emotionally opened, and it is easy for other people to take advantage of this kind of person. However, that was not Roger! If you want to say, then yes I 'identified' with him! Both vulnerable and tender Michael, and the dangerous attractive bad boy, Roger!

The chemistry between Michael Zaslow and Maureen Garrett was amazingly strong. As young actors who matured, they still had that chemistry between them. Over the years, as the chemistry grew, my own emotional attachment to Michael grew very deep. I know what you are going to say, I was attracted to 'God's Gift' to the women! No, what I was attracted to was the integration of Michael's personality into Roger's personality! There was a tenderness on Michael's face for Roger's only love - Holly! And I think, Maureen's assurance grew in her acting, because of the chemistry that they had between them. What I'm trying to say, is that my interpretation of the tenderness on Michael's face had a significant impact on me as I was maturing. It was at that time in my life when my own self-assurance was growing.

It is unfortunate that Guiding Light really did not continue with the Roger and Holly storyline. When Michael and Maureen returned in 1989, the scenes in which they acted with each other had a special and mature attraction. It was very disappointing that Procter & Gamble did not keep that chemistry until Michael Zaslow's death. The integration of Michael's ALS into Roger would have made a powerfully unique storyline. In my opinion, the mixture of Michael's and Roger's personality was so powerfully unique that it was almost inimitable. Guiding Light should have allowed Holly to grieve for Roger, and allowed the audience to grieve for the loss of Roger's incredible character. As a tribute' to the characters of Roger and Holly, GL could have made Baby Meg be Roger's baby.

Michael's death has deeply touched me, not only because of the loss of Roger, but also because of the loss of this man with such a powerful emotional strength. Michael continued his real life in such an inspiring way after the way GL and Proctor & Gamble treated him, and after receiving a diagnosis of ALS. As a person with a disabilty, I know that people are looked upon us as disposable. However, Michael was not a piece of garbage, he was a magnificant person! A man who devoted almost half of his life to Guiding Light! I would like that Proctor and Gamble acknowledge Michael's contribution to GL by re-releasing the Roger Thorpe Scandal Years video, and donating the money to ZazAngels.

I want to devote this tribute to Michael Zaslow, to his family, his friends, and all the millions of people who loved him as much as I do. Everyone who knew him, will keep him in their memories as an incredible person, outstanding actor, giving father and a loving friend ...

I could continue to write all the wonderful things he was for hours, but to finish my "epitaph" I just want to say:

THANK YOU MICHAEL and rest in peace ...

Carolyn V. Wojcik
Visit my website at www.dobiemax1948.net