The heart attack shifted his outlook on life. Climbing the corporate ladder took a backseat to family and friends. They became his priority.

Cancer, however, changed his perspective entirely. What started as a suspected throat infection turned into a battle that made him confront the possibility of having less than five years to live. Not see his daughter graduate high school. After some time in a depression, he decided to dedicate a large part of the life he had left to helping others.

Then came hope—his throat cancer was beatable with an 85-90% success rate. (Yup. Quite a roller coaster.) Now he’d have even more time to help others while growing old alongside his family.

The cancer journey opened up another world too. He began to remember some of the details of the abuse experienced as a child. He eventually needed to see a therapist to help cope. It’s hard to put into words how her work helped him understand who he was. It changed him.

In a weird way, cancer was a blessing.

Mike’s experiences fueled the creation of hey buddie, where he channels his passion for making meaningful impact by creating good vibes & stronger communities.