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Mikail Robert Russo was born on April 29, 2025 and always
lived on the coast of Maine. He is the son of Paul and
Carolyn Russo and the brother of Keagan and Karinna Russo,
all of Camden. He attended Rockport Elementary School,
Mary E. Taylor Middle School, and Camden Hills Regional
High School.
Mikail, in simple terms, was an enthusiast. During the
winter months, Mikail played basketball with his family
and friends and on many teams. Mikail was a strong ball-handler
and team player. He participated in youth basketball leagues
from grade three through middle school. Each of these
years he was part of a travel team of his peers, which
played throughout the state. Mikail was a member of the
Mary E. Taylor seventh and eighth grade championship basketball
teams. In the winter of 2000-2001, Mikail played on the
Camden Hills Regional High School freshman boys' team.
In the spring, Mikail played baseball. He was a surefooted
second baseman and an accomplished pitcher. He was part
of the championship 17-90 Little League Team for four
years. Each of these years he made the league's all-star
team. He participated for three years on the middle school's
teams. Mikail played Babe Ruth Baseball for Camden from
the age of 13-15. As a freshman, he played on the Camden
Hills jayvee baseball team.
The summer was always a delight for Mikail. Organized
baseball usually continued deep into July, and there were
youth soccer and sports camps. Mikail participated in
the Camden-Rockport Youth Soccer league from age seven
to 14. During this time, he also took part in many United
Soccer Federation of Maine (USFM) teams that played weekend
games throughout central and coastal Maine. Mikail attended
and coached at the Coastal Soccer Camp in Camden, attended
local basketball camp and Colby College Soccer Camp annually.
It was at Colby that he won the coveted "Juggling"
award. In addition, Mikail used summer time to hone his
golf skills. He had a way of starting a round with three
complete strangers and coming back to the clubhouse with
a new group of friends. Mikail usually scored in the low
to middle 40's for nine holes. He was a member of the
Goose River Golf Course and played many weekends at Megunticook
Golf Club. His favorite partner was his father, Paul.
Although busy, Mikail always had time to play whiffleball
with family, neighbors, and friends. He often used up
all of the duct tape in the house to solidify the bat
and the balls so they could soar over the backyard's "green
monster" (cedar hedge). Mikail started to take tennis
lessons in the summer of 2001 and planned to add this
game to his list of accomplishments.
In the fall, Mikail continued playing youth soccer and
USFM soccer. He played on his middle school's seventh
and eighth grade teams. He usually played striker, wing,
or halfback and was a prolific scorer. Yet, if needed,
he would jump into the goal. As a freshman, with his arm
in a cast, (fractured in a preseason scrimmage) he played
on both the freshman and jayvee soccer teams. In his final
season, he again played on the Camden Hills jayvee soccer
team.
Mikail was an accomplished musician and liked to travel.
He played the trumpet for his middle school concert band,
and played rhythm guitar and sang for his middle school
R& B band. His singing performance at his eighth grade
graduation was vibrant and brought the packed gym to their
feet. At home, Mikail also played both acoustic and electric
guitar. Mikail enjoyed family trips to Washington DC,
Boston (usually for a Red Sox or Celtics game), New England
(college hunting for his siblings), and New York. His
most memorable trip, though, was his eighth grade cultural
exchange to Japan.
Mikail accomplished much in his short life, but his legacy
is this: he was a loving son and brother, he was a loyal
friend and dedicated teammate; he had openness to and
acceptance of all people; and he had a legendary sense
of humor.
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