Michael (Mike) joined the Marines in 2008. He was sent to boot camp on April 1st, 2008. April fools! His grandfather who was a P51 Mustang Mechanic during WW2 always told him that he should join the military when he got older. He told Mike it would do him good. As a kid he didn’t really think much of it. As he got older and after 9/11 he thought more about what his grandfather said. Mike has always been patriotic and has a deep love for his Country. He saw all of these people fighting for his country and didn’t think it was right to not do his part. Mike went to the recruiters office, signed on the dotted line and not a month later he was off to MCRD San Diego.
He graduated boot camp 3 months later, then was sent to the School of Infantry (SOI) in Camp Pendleton. Upon graduation of the SOI he was immediately sent to Virginia for more schooling and to become a part of a Fleet Anti-Terrorism Security Company. Mike deployed with F.A.S.T. to Cuba and then to Japan and Guam for more training as well as to act as a FAST Response Team for local threats. After over two years in F.A.S.T. he received orders back to Camp Pendleton, CA to 2ND Battalion 4TH Marines in San Mateo. After a pre-deployment work up, he deployed as a rifleman team leader. Three months into their deployment to Afghanistan, during a local patrol Mike tripped an IED while clearing out a compound. The blast somersaulted him into the air. He ended up not being able to move from the shock. When his Marines started to render medical aid he had asked his buddy to remove his boots as my feet felt like they were on fire. Mike remembers when he looked at him and said they were already off. The blast resulted in the amputation of both of his legs and severely injuring his left arm. Mike did his best at that point to joke and keep them calm so they could patch him up with as little stress as possible. He was put onto a helicopter and flown to a local medical center, Camp Bastion. He was then sent to Landstuhl, Germany medical center where they performed lifesaving procedures to stabilize him. A couple days later he was flown to Walter Reed in Bethesda Maryland for many more surgeries and revisions. His family and friends were there waiting for him. After a month there he opted to return to San Diego. Mike underwent all of his rehab at Balboa Naval Medical Center where he relearned to walk and cope with his current situation. Just over a year after his injury he as medically retired from the Marine Corps. Not a day goes by that I regret signing up and choosing to do what he did. If Mike had known what would happen, he would still sign up; he has met too many people that his life would be a lesser place without. Currently enjoying retirement in Texas with his wife Erica and their son Grant.
Mike is currently enjoying retirement in Texas with his wife Erica and their son Grant. Mike met Erica while he was serving with F.A.S.T. Co. He couldn’t afford to fly home for the holidays and a friend invited him to his home in South Carolina. Mike met Erica there as she was a mutual friend. They kept in touch over the years and started dating after he was injured. They moved to Texas in 2014, got married in 2015. Erica gave birth to their son Grant in 2017. He was born on November 15, which was the day that Mike was injured in Afghanistan years earlier. Erica started her own pet care business. Grant is currently in 1st grade, and he likes to play baseball and football.
