The COCOA - MIKE'S STORY

Mike was a beloved son, brother, family member, and friend. He was just a normal kid who grew up enjoying anything outdoors, spending time with his friends and family, and finding happiness in the simple joys of life. As the oldest of three children, he had a big personality, was so easy going, known for his humor, and had a way of bringing laughter into the lives of the people around him.

He had the best collection of music, and there was a good chance it was playing on most of our family road trips. As his annoying little sister, I was lucky enough that he always let me tag along and be part of whatever he was doing—whether he was skateboarding out front with his friends or playing video games. He would even pretend to let me play, handing me an unplugged controller while he was actually playing just slightly behind me. He would cheer me on and tell me how good I was just to keep me happy and make me think I was really playing.

Mike was a huge movie buff and could constantly be heard repeating one-liners from his favorite movies. He was my birthday buddy, a big jokester, a damn good mechanic, and most of all, just a good soul and big brother. Those are the memories I want to hold onto—the Mike I knew long before addiction became part of his story.

Like most families, ours never imagined that the little boy we watched grow up would one day face struggles that would change the course of his life.

As Mike grew older, life took him down a path none of us could have anticipated. What began as experimentation in early adulthood eventually became a struggle with addiction that would last for nearly two decades. Along the way, he experienced homelessness, serious health complications, and hardships that affected nearly every part of his life.

Mike attempted recovery multiple times and faced countless obstacles along the way. Years of addiction and hardship took a tremendous toll on his body, eventually leaving him confined to a wheelchair.

On June 8, 2026, Mike passed away at the age of 41.

In many ways, I had spent years grieving the brother I knew as I watched addiction take pieces of his life away. But nothing could have prepared me for the pain of actually losing him. No amount of time, no amount of hardship, and no amount of knowing that we could lose him could have prepared our family for that kind of heartbreak.

Losing someone you love to addiction is a pain that is difficult to put into words. It affects more than the person struggling—it reaches the entire family, leaving behind grief, unanswered questions, and a loss that can never truly be explained.

No family should have to experience that kind of suffering. And no person struggling with addiction should feel that they have run out of options.

That is why The COCOA Project exists.

The COCOA Project was created in Mike's memory to transform our loss into hope for others. Through scholarships, recovery support, and community initiatives, we strive to ensure that hope, compassion, and opportunity remain available to those who need them most. It is our hope that no individual or family has to endure the same heartbreak and suffering that addiction brought to ours.

Mike's legacy is not defined by how his life ended, but by the lives that can be changed in his memory. Every person helped through The COCOA Project carries his legacy forward and reminds us that hope can grow from even the deepest loss.